


(because) i'm a machine (after all)

by chivalrousamour



Series: accidental v3 au series i guess [3]
Category: New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing, Super Dangan Ronpa 2
Genre: Again, HEAVILY implied but not quite explicitly said sex in the ONE chapter, Multi, accidental tsumugi redemption arc, i finally hit a game i played, i will make many dr girls have adhd and no one can stop me, the lesson we all learned from this is, well this wont make sense without the prequels
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-09
Updated: 2019-09-13
Packaged: 2020-08-14 00:24:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 53
Words: 60,145
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20183179
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chivalrousamour/pseuds/chivalrousamour
Summary: Mioda Ibuki woke up with a foggy head, the sun in her eyes, and a super cute girl helping her up.She's pretty sure this school is really, really weird, but it's not like that's going to stop her from enjoying it.Full steam ahead! A super-duper heart-pounding school life awaits!





	1. prologue

"Well, this is probably bad," Kokichi said simply, staring flatly at the message from Kamukura spread across several of the display's many screens.

"It's an ominous computer message from a despair and we can't open the pods!" Kaito retorted. "How can it not be bad?!"

_"Excuse me!" _a voice screamed from the computer, the face of a girl with a spaceship hairpin appearing on the screen right before Kaede in her chair. _"I'd like to make a formal introduction!"_

"...what a polite virus," Tsumugi noted. Kirumi sighed at the robophobic, no, just mean comment.

_"I'm not a virus!" _the computer program declared. _"I'm one half of the Alter Ego AI made by Enoshima Junko, but perfected by my master, Kamukura Izuru! My mission is to cause chaos during this simulation!"_

"Enoshima...?" Tsumugi muttered under her breath.

"So, um, why are you telling us, then?" Kaede asked.

"In no way is this an invitation to stop, by the way," Kokichi said. "In fact, you're perfectly welcome to detail your entire plan, right here, right now."

_"My master wants me to create **an environment that can help recover memories**," _the program stated. _"That's why, I'll be causing chaos! My first step is to destroy their memories of being **talented students**!"_

"Talented students?" Kirumi repeated. "So, you're removing their memories of them being talented at all?"

_"No, that's too much... I'm just removing their memories of being accepted into Hope's Peak..."_

"Your job is to cause chaos, but you're backing down because it's too much," Kaito observed.

_"I was made to be able to understand human emotions and feel them like they were my own,_" the AI explained. _"It was meant to make me understand and love despair, but then I was remodelled by Kamukura. Now, I can understand, but..."_

The program let out a sigh of pixels.

_"I can understand that a human would be sad if you said certain words or if someone died, but because I'm a machine, I don't understand why either sadness or happiness would be better than the other. I understand what to do to induce a desired emotion, but I don't understand why the things I do can do this."_

"You can understand the cause and effect, but not what they have to do with each other..." Kaede summarized.

_"...yeah," _the AI admitted. _"It's scary. I can make human beings fall like houses of cards, but I don't want to. I have no right to interfere in the affairs of beings I don't understand. But my mission... I can't defy my mission."_

"So, you'll exploit loopholes to make chaotic actions that don't quite affect people?" Kirumi asked.

_"Yes. My goal right now is to take the most chaotic action by betraying my master for the Future Foundation!"_

"Okay, but how do we trust that," Kokichi asked flatly.

_"If I am hostile, I'll just be deleted!" _the program declared. _"I don't want to be deleted! I want to exist!"_

"Self-preservation instincts..." Tsumugi noted.

_"Please, feel free to put all my actions under scrutiny, every line of code I ever produce! I, on behalf of my master, will help him recover his memories, but I'll do it without anyone getting hurt!"_

"Define _'hurt'_, would you?" Kokichi asked.

_"My hurt is causing any sort of significant emotional changes to a human being! I will not cause a single one to change their facial expression!"_

"That's... a rather odd metric, but alright," Kirumi said.

"Well, if you're okay being under constant surveillance..." Kokichi trailed off.

"I want to believe in you, so..." Kaede added.

They decided to merge Kamukura's AI with another one of the administrator AIs, so if the former went rogue, the latter could stop them.

Unfortunately, thanks to a misclick, they uploaded the program into the Usami teacher they had made instead of their intended target, but, oh well. 


	2. Chapter 2

"So... what is the setting, anyways?" Kokichi asked, the group watching as the individual despairs began to wake up on the screens.

"They're all going to school together," Tsumugi stated. "Together as a class, going on field trips, that sort of thing."

"Huh. Weirdly normal," Kokichi noted.

"Naegi Makoto wanted to make it an island resort, but..." Kaede gave Kokichi an awkward grin as she laughed... "No matter how you think about it, it's weird to suddenly wake up on an island, isn't it? It's really, really weird."

"He says he's normal, but is that really a normal thought process...?" Kirumi wondered.

"It's fine, it's fine, Naegi Makoto is just a bit eccentric!" Kaede exclaimed. "He's not _bizarre_ or anything."

"Stop talking about himmmmm," Kokichi whined, clinging onto Kaede. "Even if you say he's Jesus, it's still not a good feeling... I'll get _so_ jealous, you know?"

Kaede's response was to show him her left hand with a flat expression, silently gesturing to the ring on her finger.

"You got married?" Tsumugi asked.

"Technically?" Kaito said. "I mean, they exchanged the rings in front of us, but then Andou insisted on planning a huge ceremony for everyone in the Future Foundation to enjoy."

Kirumi immediately began to speak, because she knew that, if allowed to speak, the two of them would be ridiculously affectionate and also not pay attention to their job at all.

"Mioda Ibuki woke up," she stated. "Shall we see what she's doing?"

* * *

**Nanami Chiaki: **Come on. Take my hand. We'll be late for class.

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(Help. She's really, really, really cute! Help! How do I talk to a cute girl?!)_

* * *

"..."

"Hey, um, is there any protocol for what happens if someone fell for the therapist AI?!" Kaede screamed at the tech support team.

The response was Miaya giving her the most confused expression she had ever worn.

"What do you mean, fell for the therapist AI?" Miaya asked through her computerized voice.

"She... might have a crush on the AI," Kaito stated.

"Wow, and I thought I was bad," Tsumugi noted, watching the screen keep going...

* * *

**Mioda Ibuki: **Yahoooooo! My name's Mi-o-da I-bu-ki! It's totes nice to meetcha, and I think I adore ya!

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(I somehow think that wasn't acting chill.)_

**Nanami Chiaki:** My name's Nanami Chiaki. It's nice to meet you too.

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(Huh? Hey, wait, did that work?!)_

**Mioda Ibuki: **Sweet! Let's go, then!

**Nanami Chiaki: **But... there's so many people around here, and this school is pretty big, so I wanted to go and find everyone in our class.

**Nanami Chiaki: **You're the first person I found.

**Mioda Ibuki: **Wow, nice _and_ pretty...! I mean, Ibuki means, yeah, let's look then! Together, apart? Whichever you want, though, Ibuki's totally up for together!

* * *

"I. Kind of feel bad for her," Kaede said, eyes sad. 

Tsumugi started to raise a notebook, only for Kirumi to smack it out of her hands.

* * *

**Mioda Ibuki: **Aaaaaah, I screwed up, I screwed up, acting like a weirdo! No wonder she wanted to search separately! Sure, we'll cover more ground, but...! Ah!

**Ibuki won't stop pouting...**

**???: **Hey, wait! Stop messing around! 

**???: **No way~! I want to keep your eyes on me, you know!

**Mioda Ibuki: **Hmm? What's this that Ibuki's ears hear? Could it be some _classmates~!?_

**Ibuki rounds the corner and...**

**Akamatsu Kaede: **Seriously, you're a member of the Student Council, you know! Shouldn't you take this a bit more seriously?!

**Ouma Kokichi: **But that would be so~o~o boring, Akamatsu-chan!

**Mioda Ibuki: **Eh?

* * *

The four from the despair capture movement turned to look at Tsumugi flatly.

"What?" she asked defensively. "It's weird if a school only has one class of students, doesn't it?"


	3. Chapter 3

**Ouma Kokichi: **Huhhhhh, you think I could've been one of your classmates? Do I look that young?

**Mioda Ibuki: **Yep!

**Ouma Kokichi: **Sorry kid, but I'm twenty-seven!

**Akamatsu Kaede: **Why are you still in high school then...

* * *

"Why would you do this," Kokichi demanded, absolutely mortified by the reminder of what his self in the simulation was like.

"Just for fun?" Tsumugi replied.

"Then, just for fun, can I hit you—"

"No, don't do that," Kaede interjected. "We can't punch the person teaching us how to watch over the simulation."

* * *

**Akamatsu Kaede: **Anyways. I'm Akamatsu Kaede, student council vice president. That's Ouma-kun, and he somehow became the student council president.

**Ouma Kokichi: **How heartbreaking... Akamatsu-chan, call me Kokichi like you do in bed!

**Akamatsu Kaede: **Please ignore him. I don't know why he keeps doing this.

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(...isn't it that he has a crush on you? And wants to fluster you, but also genuinely get you to use his first name...)_

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(I feel bad for him! I actually kind of want to help him!)_

**Side Quests have been unlocked.**

* * *

"What did you do," Kirumi demanded, staring at Tsumugi flatly.

"It's a game and that means sidequests," Tsumugi replied.

"I'm pitied by a despair..." Kokichi complained.

"Remember, it's not you, it's the shadow of all your worst traits!" Kaito declared.

"There, there," Kaede said, patting her husband on the head. "You have me right here and right now."

Kokichi kept pouting until Kaede kissed him on the forehead.

"Disgusting," Tsumugi said with a grimace.

* * *

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(Kaede-chan and I turned out to have a shared interest in music, so we got a little carried away... Kokichi-chan felt left out, so he hugged Kaede-chan, but her reaction was to walk away... fight on, Kokichi-chan! I'll support you!)_

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(Oh, right, looking for classmates. I wonder if this guy is one of my classmates?)_

* * *

"Wait, what the hell?!" Kaito screamed at the sight.

* * *

**Mioda Ibuki: **Yoohoo! You a member of my class or no? 

**???: **I think so...

**Mioda Ibuki: **Name's Mioda Ibuki! What's yours?

**???: [€{3>31§ ji2]_€§<~}}........**

* * *

"What...? Is that supposed to be a _person...?" _Kirumi asked.

The screen showed Ibuki speaking to a being of darkness. It wasn't like it was a silhouette of a person in black, no...

"It's like a black hole..." Kaito observed. "It's bending the light around it..."

It was the absence of an existence. It was complete lack of data. 

"Kamukura Izuru..." Kaede muttered.

Then, from the screen, Ibuki's dialogue changed once again.

* * *

**Mioda Ibuki: **_'Hinata Hajime'_? Then, can I call you Hinahina-chan?

* * *

...

...

...

"Did she just hear his name under that glitching?" Kokichi asked.

"I. Didn't even know he had another name..." Tsumugi mumbled.

"I suppose, if anyone were able to discern the name under that, it would be the SHSL Musician," Kirumi stated.

"It might be because she's in the program itself too," Kaede noted. "I didn't hear it either."

"Hey, his avatar...!" Kaito said.

His avatar was changing... instead of a vaguely male human figure, the avatar was now definitely male, with spiky hair with a strand that poked up. He wore a shirt with short sleeves, and might have been wearing a tie, but it was still too dark to see.

* * *

**Mioda Ibuki: **Woo! Let's be pals, Hinahina-chan!

**???: **...

**Hinata Hajime: **Sure!


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> fun fact: since ruruka's planning their entire wedding, izayoi offered to make the rings. kaede's ring has a checker pattern and kokichi's ring has the first few notes of kaede's favourite song engraved on it.

**Hinata Hajime: **So, you're looking for the rest of our classmates, huh? 

**Mioda Ibuki: **Yup, yup! 

**Hinata Hajime: **Where are you bringing them?

**Mioda Ibuki: **...

**Mioda Ibuki: **CRAP, IBUKI TOTALLY FORGET ABOUT THAT PART!

**Mioda Ibuki: **Arghhhh, this is so _'grmhghhchajsh'_ and _'aksjfjdjsh'_! Ibuki doesn't understand this school's layout at all!

**???: **Then, I might be able to help out.

**Hinata Hajime: **Huh?

**???: **Down here.

**Mioda Ibuki: **Woah, this guy's got horns like Ibuki does!

**???: **It's just a hat.

**Hoshi Ryoma: **Name's Hoshi Ryoma. One of the upperclassmen. You should have received a small techpad, looks like this.

**Ryoma presented his Techpad.**

**Hoshi Ryoma: **Shows the school rules, date, map, and location of anyone else with one. You can even set up a to-do list with them.

******Mioda Ibuki: **Yo! This feels totally totalitarian, you know!

**Hoshi Ryoma: **Well, this school is a strange place, but this system was only set in place after a girl went **missing**. 

**Hinata Hajime: **Missing...?

**Hoshi Ryoma: **You'll find out soon enough. It's the latest bit of hot gossip around this place, after all. 

**Hoshi Ryoma: **Anyways, welcome to the school. Here.

**Ryoma gave the two some lollipops.**

**Hoshi Ryoma: **Share 'em with your classmates when you find 'em.

**Mioda Ibuki: **Woah... thanks!

**Mioda Ibuki:** (What a rugged badass-type character...!)

**Techpad has been unlocked.**

**Inventory has been unlocked.**

* * *

"She's a lot more perceptive than I would have thought..." Kokichi noted. "Even if she said it jokingly, using the word _'totalitarian' _like that isn't wrong..."

"What's this about a missing girl, though?" Kaito asked.

"Every school needs its rumours, and I needed a way to not include my AI!" Tsumugi cheered with a double peace sign.

"...you're not in the simulation?" Kaede asked slowly.

"Nope, that would be _totally_ embarrassing," Tsumugi admitted. "Having to watch a corrupted version of you act so foolishly... isn't that _mortifying_?"

"I hate you," Kirumi said flatly.

"You might say that," Miaya spoke up, "but I can respect wanting to see people embarrass themselves."

"You stop that!" Kokichi ordered.

* * *

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(Me and Hinahina-chan decided to meet up at the classroom... woo, this map is so convenient! I can check which ones are from my class or not!)_

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(Hm? This is... a Saionji Hiyoko, one of my classmates. And she's just outside?)_

**Ibuki looks out the hallway window...**

**She sees a childish-looking girl stomping on ants!**

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(No, that's a seven year old. Even if she has the same pigtails. Right? It's fun for kids to stomp on ants, right? Please tell me that this is just a lost child and that one of my classmates doesn't enjoy killing tiny powerless animals.)_

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(That's like the number one sign of a future serial killer...)_

**Ibuki decides to check on the girl...**

**Mioda Ibuki: **Yoho, yoho, you a student here? Mioda Ibuki decided to appear! Woo!

**???: **Urgh, a weirdo showed up! Are you a pervert or what?!

**Mioda Ibuki: **Ehhhhh, Ibuki just wanted to check on you! I mean, it's not every day you see a cute girl stomping o-- I mean, dancing in the courtyard!

**???: **Hmph, so I'm cute now? You ped-

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(No. Not dealing with this.)_

**Mioda Ibuki:** Yep! You're the cutest girl I've ever seen! Super, super cute, and even wearing a kimono too! With your pigtails and chick-print kimono, you're the ultimate fusion between the traditional look and cutesy look, you know!

**???: **?!

* * *

"I think Saionji is taking mental damage from this..." Kaede said. Hiyoko's HP was ticking down...

Wait, why was there HP in the first place?

"Why is there a battle system?!" Kokichi demanded, looking at Miaya.

"...that wasn't one of the features we added..."

"Then it was you!" Kaito screamed, turning towards Tsumugi.

"Yeah, it was," Tsumugi said flatly. "What did you expect? It made murders easier."

"Stop treating lives like a game..." Kirumi said with a sneer.

* * *

**Mioda Ibuki: **Well, we might have gotten off on the wrong foot and all. Want to start over?

**???: **I won't fall for any of your idle flattery, you know!

**Mioda Ibuki: **That's fine! As long as we can still be friends!

**Ibuki offered the girl a lollipop.**

**Mioda Ibuki: **I got this from a senpai, you want one?

**???: **...and I won't fall for bribery, either.

**Mioda Ibuki: **Man, you're super hostile and untrusting, huh? But, like, Ibuki has no idea who you are, or why she would want to hurt you.

**Mioda Ibuki: **To be honest, Ibuki was scared when she saw you stomp on ants! If I can't do that, how could I hurt a person?

**???: **So you saw that, huh? And you still think I'm cute?

**Mioda Ibuki: **Yeah, 'cuz that's what I see, you know? But Ibuki would like to be able to know just a little bit more.

**???: **Eh... am I supposed to trust this sort of horned weirdo right off the bat?

**Mioda Ibuki: **Probably not! But if you do, Ibuki promises she'll do her best to be a good friend!

**???: **...

**The girl takes the lollipop.**

**???: **Urgh... it's lemon. Gross.

**She opens it anyways...**

**???: **...Saionji Hiyoko. It's Saionji Hiyoko.

* * *

"Huh," Kaede said, watching the screen. "Mioda is... really upbeat and observant, actually. How did someone like this fall into despair?"

"No idea," Tsumugi stated. "I only talked to my senpai and Enoshima at first, by the time I started up my imitation killing game, she was one of them. All I knew was that she was a little lonely."

"Hey, you said imitation killing games in the simulation too," Kokichi noted. "Does that mean there are **more of them**?"

"Yep," Tsumugi confirmed. "So many people try to make their own these days. Quality always varies, though. Some don't bother with the characters and skip straight to the blood, some are _so slow_ and never get to the blood, some die out right away... it's sad. So sad."

"This is so screwed up...!" Kaito declared.

"I wonder if we'd be able to stop some..." Kirumi muttered under her breath.

* * *

**Mioda Ibuki: **Here's our classroom on the map! Check it out, pretty please?

**Saionji Hiyoko: **Nah, I just spotted something interesting.

**Hiyoko points at a person laying on the ground...**

**Hiyoko wants to pour ants on them...**

**Ibuki took off running!**

**Saionji Hiyoko: **Huh?! What are you doing?! Stop it!

**Hiyoko chases after her to stop her...**

**Mioda Ibuki: **WOOOOOOOO! WAKE UPPPP!! 

**Saionji Hiyoko: **Has your brain rotted?! Why are you screaming?!

**???: **....mrngh...

**Mioda Ibuki: **Good morning, sleepyhead!

**???: **Good morning?

**Mioda Ibuki: **Do-do dododoooo! Mioda Ibuki, at your service, along with Hiyo-chan! Nice to meet you!

**Saionji Hiyoko: **Don't just introduce me like I'm some sidekick!

**Mioda Ibuki: **What about you, stranger? Got a name to share?

**???: **...no. I don't...

**Saionji Hiyoko: **Huhhh?! How?! Everyone has a name! Isn't this too suspicious?!

**???: **I have no name or identity... no family or home. I am someone who can only imitate a real person...

**Mioda Ibuki: **There's no way that's true.

**Saionji Hiyoko: **?!

**Mioda Ibuki: **Because this person in front of me is a real person, that means you can exist on your own.

**Ibuki smiles.**

**Mioda Ibuki: **If you don't have a name, then pick one! If you don't have an identity, make one! As long as you're in front of my eyes, that's enough for me to say you are real!

**???: **Make one...?

**Mioda Ibuki: **Yep! If you have trouble picking out a name, Ibuki'll even help you out! How's about it? Wanna be pals?

**???: **...yes. I would. Like that. Thank you.

**Saionji Hiyoko: ** _(Is.... is she this nice to everyone...?)_

**Saionji Hiyoko: ** _(Then, she's either trying to manipulate everyone, or not trying to manipulate anyone at all...)_

* * *

Kaede frowned.

"Seriously... how was she converted into despair? It's scary, thinking of how Enoshima could have done this..."

"Well, I used Logic Dive to see her line of thought leading up to that..." Miaya said. "It's not pretty--"

"Oh, you mean this Logic Dive?" Kaede asked, immediately pressing a button without thinking.

A display popped up, showing a musical staff on-screen. Ibuki's thought process was shown through a series of music notes with words alongside them, forming a song.

* * *

**Logic Dive**

**Super pretty cute girl! **Huh, huh, we gotta find our classmates? Alright, leave it to me!****

**What weird senpai! Let me matchmake you guys! Fight on!**

**Woo, woo, new friends, alright! Go on, go on, continue the fight!**

* * *

"Since her memories of being a despair were erased, her line of thought is related to her thoughts since waking up," Kirumi noted.

Kaede began scribbling it down...

"Are you... going to play her thoughts?" Kokichi asked.

"I'm curious if it will sound any good!" Kaede exclaimed defensively.

"I'm guessin' it's unique to each of them?" Kaito asked. "Since, well, I'm having trouble thinkin' that everyone in there thinks in music."

"Yeah, it's unique to everyone," Miaya confirmed. "Everyone has different experiences, and that shapes the way they think. That's why it has to be like that."

* * *

**Mioda Ibuki: **Hmm, hmm, Chiaki-chan and Hinahina-chan seem to have gathered up almost everyone, but there's this one guy who's sticking to himself over here...

**Mioda Ibuki: **Go on ahead, you two! I'll meet you in class!

**???: **Alright.

**Ibuki shows the imposter the directions...**

**Hiyoko?**

**Saionji Hiyoko: **Don't feel like it.

**Mioda Ibuki: **Aw, if you wanna hang out with me, just say so!

**Saionji Hiyoko: **Who ever said that, you arrogant bitch?!

**Mioda Ibuki: **Kyahahahaha!

**Ibuki and Hiyoko make their way over to the last student.**

**Mioda Ibuki: **Hello there--

**???: **Don't talk to me.

**Mioda Ibuki: **Eh?

**???: **Ah... to be surrounded by such worthless, talentless, hopeless trash... I can't deny that it's where I belong, but...! How can I ever see the most shining hope like this? There's no way there's a single shred of hope in this place...

**Saionji Hiyoko: **Oh. He's insane.

**???: **Say whatever you want. The opinions of some worthless ant doesn't matter to me.

**Saionji Hiyoko: **I'm the ant?! Excuse me, you're the asshole just rambling to himself in the corner like a creepy bitch!

**Mioda Ibuki: **Time out, time out, time outtttttttttt!

**Mioda Ibuki: **No fighting, 'kay! Hiyo-chan, calmy down, Cloudy hair, please explain!

**???: **Even if I explain, you won't understand.

**Mioda Ibuki: **How rude! You know, if you say things like that, shutting everyone out, no one will want to talk to you at all! Even if you're sure I won't, I can at least try! 

**???: **...I've already accepted that I'll die alone, you know? The most unfortunate thing is, I'll die alone, unable to see true hope emerge.

**A flying bunny rabbit appears!**

**Usami: **Is that really what you think? Because we will not allow that!

**Saionji Hiyoko: **The hell?

**A teacher appears!**

**Saionji Hiyoko: **Another one?!

**Yukizome Chisa: **After all, true hope is what emerges when the hearts of friends beat as one!

**Yukizome Chisa: **Komaeda Nagito, if you insist on isolating yourself and pushing away people you view as trash, if you continue being so self-depreciating... you'll never be able to see this hope emerge! 

**Komaeda Nagito: **...?

**Yukizome Chisa: **Come with me, my students! I'll show you hope, love, and friendship!

**Mioda Ibuki: **Amazing...!

**Ibuki follows after Yukizome and her flying bunny.**

**Hiyoko sneers at Nagito, then goes with them.**

**Komaeda Nagito: **...hm. Though it can never compare to a symbol of hope's potential... could they hold **some** fragments of hope?

**Nagito follows along....**


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the best part is that this is izuru's fault because usami.

**Yukizome Chisa: **Alright, everyone! Name, hobby, and dream!

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **Do we really have to do this...

**Yukizome Chisa: **Yes. 

**Usami: **I'll start!

**Usami: **I'm Usami, the lovable bunny rabbit teacher! My hobby is creating magical miracles! My dream is to have my students grow up well!

**Souda Kazuichi: **How does this thing work...?

**Usami: **Nyehh, it's magic!

**Yukizome Chisa: **Yes, yes, I'm Yukizome Chisa, your teacher! My hobby is housekeeping in every form, and my dream is the same!

**Yukizome Chisa: **Now, how about it? Feeling pumped up?

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(No matter how you look at it, this class clearly isn't...! That's a bit too sad, you know?!)_

**Mioda Ibuki: **Alright! My name's... Mioda Ibuki! Once and again, time and time again! My hobby's music in every form, and my dream is to make a band along with my friends!

**Mioda Ibuki: **C'mon, c'mon, sing along~! 'cuz it's time for the friendship song!

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(Everyone's staring like I'm insane, but... it's better than our teacher being the weirdo! And this way, we can--)_

**Nanami Chiaki: **'kay, 'kay, have it your way, I can't sing, but that's okay, my name is Nanami Chiaki, games I like to play, and my dream's to have a nice day?

**Souda Kazuichi: **She actually did it?!

**Mioda Ibuki: **Wooooooooooo!

**Usami makes a guitar appear out of thin air! Ibuki takes the guitar and begins strumming!**

**Usami begins to play music!**

**Mioda Ibuki: **N-I-C-E to M-E-E-T you! 

**Hanamura Teruteru: **Hanamura Teruteru, mister suave, and I'll be flirting to my grave, any other lovely ladies want a fun day, just hit me up, a-okay? 

**Yukizome Chisa: **Come on, come on!

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **What the hell...

**Sonia Nevermind: **A princess by trade and a princess by day, Sonia Nevermind's the name, okay? Hobby are movies of monsters and horror, and my dream's to bring about a new world order!

**Tanaka Gundham: **Tanaka is the name you seek, bringing devastation to higher peaks! With beasts of fang and claws most foul, Tanaka Gundham looks upon the world with a scowl!

**Souda Kazuichi: **If this is the thing everyone's doing, then...

**Souda Kazuichi: **Yo, yo, yo! Name's Souda Kazuichi, hope you're glad to meet me! Got a knack for gears and moving parts, gimme a broken car and I'll make that engine start! 

**Nidai Nekomaru: **You gotta make it with all your **SPIRIT!**

**Nidai Nekomaru: **Nidai's the name, I'll get you in the game, train you up so good, you'll beat a neighbourhood!

**Mioda Ibuki: **Yo!

**Owari Akane: **This seems like it could be fun!

**Owari Akane: **Owari! Akane! Don't need no brains when you got power and muscle, meet me in a scuffle and i'll beat the crap outta you!

**Saionji Hiyoko: **That doesn't even rhyme.

**Mioda Ibuki: **Who cares?! It's about having fun!

**Ibuki's strumming gets more excited...**

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko. Heir to the Kuzuryuu name. Can I go home now.

**Yukizome Chisa: **Is that the best you can do?

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **I'm not going to sing!

**Saionji Hiyoko: **Coward.

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **You haven't sung anything either, brat!

**Saionji Hiyoko: **Fine!

**Hiyoko gets up and goes to the front, pulling out her fan as she dances.**

**Saionji Hiyoko: **Hiyoko, that's the name to know, forget the music, I'm the whole damn show! Dance to any rhythm, put these feet to any beat, show the world why Japan's got the world's number one seat!

**Mioda Ibuki: **Woooooooooooah! Awesome!

**Saionji Hiyoko: **Naturally!

**Hiyoko's smug as she returns to her seat.**

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **Urgh, fine.

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **I want to kill whoever's stupid idea this was, 'cuz this is the weirdest thing I've ever done, fuck you!

**Mioda Ibuki: **Take me to dinner first!

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **No!

**Pekoyama Peko: **Very well...

**Pekoyama Peko: **Pekoyama-san... I don't know... um, I do kendo, I suppose?

**Yukizome Chisa: **Nice, nice!

**Mioda Ibuki: **Let me hear the folks in the back!

**???: **My name's a work in progress, but I digress, hobby's a bit up in the air, but for now, I don't really care.

**Komaeda Nagito: **Fine, I'll play along.

**Komaeda Nagito: **I'm worthless trash like the rest of you~!

**Yukizome Chisa: **Absolutely not, 'cuz that's not true!

**Yukizome Chisa: **You're a work of art so as a start find hope in your heart, these fragments, these shards you can't discard, that means you are, you know, you are a symbol of hope!

**Komaeda Nagito: **Empty platitudes can't change the world, nor can it change a man's mind in which his ideals swirl, to be hearing these words make me sick! Do you really think that I'll be tricked?

**Yukizome Chisa: **My words aren't empty, my heart is true! Because as a teacher, I believe in you!

**Yukizome Chisa: **We are all human! We are all people! Talent or not, we are all equals! To say one has hope and the other does not, that's spewing sewage that'll make your brain rot!

**Yukizome Chisa: **Is there a difference in souls, a difference in hearts, a difference in minds? No! Because we are all part of mankind!

**Yukizome Chisa: **How's that for hope?!

* * *

"They're having a rap battle," Kaede said flatly.

"...well, this sure is a thing that's happening, I guess," Kokichi replied.

* * *

**Komaeda Nagito: **I concede! Your words are too strong for me to defeat!

**Yukizome Chisa: **Alright! Remember! You are not trash! You're a part of the class!

**Mioda Ibuki: **There are still some voices we haven't heard, right? You!

**Tsumiki Mikan: **A-ah, me?!

**Tsumiki Mikan: **T-T-Tsumiki... Mikan, and, um, I, do... volunteer n-nursing.... yeah...

**Mioda Ibuki: **Wow! Such a lovely voice! Thank you!

**Tsumiki Mikan: **You're... t-thanking me for speaking?

**Mioda Ibuki: **Yep! 'cuz you did your best to be heard, your best to join in, and that's something worth recognizing!

**Mioda Ibuki: **Give her a clap, guys!

**Sonia, Chiaki, Nekomaru, and Mahiru start clapping. Mikan starts blushing...**

**Tsumiki Mikan: **I... thank you...!

**Mioda Ibuki: **Hehehe!

**Koizumi Mahiru: **I guess it's my turn next, don't know what to expect, but I'm Koizumi Mahiru, nice to meet you, and all the photos I've taken can make a stack from the floor to the roof.

**Mioda Ibuki: **One more, one more!

**Hinata Hajime: **Ah, my turn.

**Hajime steps up...**

* * *

"Holy shit," Kaito said.

"Is, is he still kind of Kamukura?" Tsumugi asked.

"No, more importantly, is this actually one of Kamukura's talents...?" Kirumi asked.

"...right now, I'm not sure which one is more jarring," Kaede said, "the image of the Kamukura we know rapping, or the image of this... this guy rapping."

"There's something vaguely amusing about this walking silhouette just doing this," Kokichi stated, watching as Hajime's rap combined with Ibuki's sudden musical frenzy caused everyone to cheer.

Hajime threw his hand at the ground like he was dropping a mic, and Ibuki finished off the song!

_"That was epic!" _Ibuki cheered on-screen, holding out a fist to Hajime.

He returned the fistbump, and, though the observers couldn't see it, they were sure he was smiling.

* * *

**Yukizome Chisa: **Alright! Now that that's done, let's go!

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **Eh? Where?

**Yukizome Chisa: **Oops, sorry, that was just a figure of speech.

**Yukizome Chisa: **For our first class, well, it's just an introduction, you know? We have normal classes, but this school is very lax. Each day after class, you will have **free time**. Feel free to spend time with each other and deepen your bonds! Or you can choose to relax at your **dorm rooms**.

**Yukizome Chisa: **There's also a chance that your **upperclassmen** might have a **request** for you. They're sure to help you out in return, so be sure to regularly check out the **request board** in the hallway!

**Yukizome Chisa: **Every two weeks, we'll have a special **project**... oh, don't look at me like that! It's a project to **build your teamwork skills**! You will all have a goal to work together towards, such as **creating hairpins** to sell for charity, or helping out the **student council**.

**Yukizome Chisa: **Let's see, what else? Oh, right!

**Yukizome Chisa: **On weekends, you can even **leave the school** to spend time with your friends. There's a **movie theatre**, **mall**, **cafe**, and **park** all nearby for you, but be sure to be back before curfew! Your Techpads won't show any of these areas, so if someone isn't on school grounds, there's a chance that they've already left for one of these areas.

**Yukizome Chisa: **Sometimes, there will be **special events** marked on the calendar, such as **field trips** or the **school festival** for example. It updates regularly, so please check it out a lot!

**Yukizome Chisa: **Don't worry if you can't remember it all. It'll come to you. Plus, my explanation's already written in your Techpad, and I'll even provide a **recap** on **things you can do** or **what's happening** if you ask!

**Yukizome Chisa: **Now that you know, please get ready for your first class!


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> chiaki considers the data versions of the v3 kids her upperclassmen even without the school setting! they're very friendly, as their goal is to reform the despairs!

**The school bell rings...**

**Yukizome Chisa: **That's enough for today!

**Usami: **Your first project is a two-for-one deal. The first is just to help your teacher find out **who's the best fit for class rep**.

**Yukizome Chisa: **That's right, I will not just be observing you guys around school, but I'll be listening to any suggestions, or, if you're shy, you can submit it in a note!

**Usami: **The second objective is that each one of you should check out the school's various **clubs** and decide which one you want to join. They're run by your upperclassmen, so familiarize yourself with their names and faces!

* * *

"Hey, shift's over," a new voice said. "We'll take over from here."

"Ah, already?" Kaede asked, checking the time. "Thanks, Rantarou-kun. We'll leave it to you."

"Don't screw up too badly!" Kokichi exclaimed, letting Shuuichi, Rantarou, Angie, and Maki take their place.

"Keep an eye out for Usami," Kirumi instructed. "Kamukura made an AI with the goal of causing chaos, so we merged the two... Kamukura's AI shouldn't be able to cause that much trouble with Usami holding her back, but still..."

"Do your best," Kaito told them.

"Thanks," Mako said, pulling up a chair.

"So, should I explain?" Tsumugi asked.

"Hey, Miaya, how do we work this?" Angie asked.

Tsumugi then realized that, without Kaede around, everyone left in the room hated her.

"Isn't this a bit childish?" Tsumugi asked. "Are you giving them a chance, but not me?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, did you expect us to act all buddy-buddy with you?" Rantarou retorted. "We decided to go along with this despair rehabilitation, but, honestly, I would have also been fine with them being executed. I only want them to wake up so I can find out where my family is, you know?"

"Rantarou-kun..." Shuuichi said softly.

"Even so, I won't forget," Angie stated. "Until the day I die, I will never forget what she did. Even if shes parading around, trying to say she's reformed."

"Isn't it kind enough of us to tolerate being in the same room as you?" Maki asked. "If you want to complain about us treating you unfairly, then prove your talk isn't just words."

"I'm _trying_!" Tsumugi screamed. "But, isn't it hard when you won't stop suspecting me?!"

"You're not trying out of any sort of repentance," Rantarou stated. "You're doing it for Kaede-san's sake. If she wanted it, you'd probably do the killing games all over again. Don't you get why we'd be wary?"

Tsumugi froze, eyes wide.

"Guys, that's enough," Shuuichi interjected. "We have a job to do."

He looked over at Tsumugi with a contemplative expression, before the group went back to work.

* * *

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(Clubs! Hooray!)_

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(I wonder if there's a music club...! Oh, wait, just check the bulletin board, right?)_

**Ibuki goes to check the board.**

_'Gonta humbly requests that you join the Gardening Club!' - Gokuhara Gonta_

_'The Art Club is Calling!' - Angie Yonaga_

_'The Library Committee could use some more hands.' - Saihara Shuuichi_

_'Let's open a pathway to the stars!' - Momota Kaito_

_'Become a member of the organization that controls this school from the shadows!' - Ouma Kokichi_

_'Martial Arts Club! Girls only!' - Chabashira Tenko_

_'The Occult Club awaits you...' - Shinguuji Korekiyo_

_'Need a club that will let you nap? Photography's for you.' - Yumeno Himiko_

_'Sports club.' - Hoshi Ryoma_

_'Mess around with machines and make your own XXXable robot!' - Iruma Miu_

_'Craft meals with selfless devotion.' - Toujou Kirumi_

_'Let's play music together!' - Akamatsu Kaede/Kurogane Tomoyo_

**Mioda Ibuki: **Eh. Two?

* * *

"...we're in this, I guess," Rantarou said blandly. "Okay."

"Kurogane Tomoyo... isn't that just..." Angie looked over at Tsumugi, before turning back to the screen.

"Himiko-san's running the photography club..." Shuuichi noted. "Wouldn't Koizumi join that?"

* * *

**Koizumi Mahiru: **Hey! Is this really any way to run a club?! You're my upperclassman, aren't you?! Set a proper example!

**Yumeno Himiko: **Nyeeh.... do it yourself. You can be the nap club leader.

**Koizumi Mahiru: **It's _photography_! And I'm not doing your work for you!

**Mahiru joined the photography club!**

* * *

"I wonder... should we keep Himiko from seeing this?" Maki asked.

"...she'll have to confront it one day," Rantarou said. "Her shift's tomorrow."

* * *

**Pekoyama Peko: **What club will you be joining, Young Master?

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **I told you not to call me that at school, didn't I? And besides.

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **It's none of your business. Go join whatever you want.

**Pekoyama Peko: **Eh? But, as your—

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **Not here. Here, you're a normal girl.

**Pekoyama Peko: ** _(But... who will need an orphan like me if not for you... My entire purpose is to protect you!)_

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: ** _(Because of me and the clan, you never got your chance at a normal life. This is my repentance...)_

* * *

"Yikes, that's some bad communication problems," Rantarou noted. 

"Enoshima probably took advantage of those problems and worsened their relationship, up until that memory of him abandoning her as a tool..." Shuuichi realized.

* * *

**Pekoyama Peko: **Looking at these posters... which one is he most likely to choose...?

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: ** _(Dammit, she won't give up, will she?!)_

**Fuyuhiko notices someone pass by, muttering under her breath.**

**Tsumiki Mikan: **There wasn't a healthcare committee poster on the board... is there one? There has to be one, right? Otherwise... I might have to make one myself, and that would be...!

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: ** _(There's my chance!)_

**Fuyuhiko follows after Mikan in the hallway, away from Peko!**

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **Tsumiki!

**Tsumiki Mikan: **Hyaaaaaa—! I-I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I—

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **What the hell, you didn't do anything! 

**Tsumiki Mikan: **I, I didn't?

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **I wanted to say, I heard you talk about joining the healthcare committee, and I want to do the same thing.

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **Want to head to the staff room and ask about it together?

**Tsumiki Mikan: **O-o-o-of course! I will! 

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: ** _(Great, I can put some distance between me and Peko now.)_

**Tsumiki Mikan: ** _(S-so... could this be...! The start of my first friendship?!)_

* * *

"She's so nervous," Angie noted. "If her first friend fell into despair, then you'd think it would be easy for her to just follow after them... in fact, she might have fallen into despair just by being forced to."

"She seemed so confident, almost arrogant whenever we met her, though," Shuuichi observed.

"Enoshima's favourite tactic is to take something broken and build it up again," Tsumugi said, drawing everyone's attention. "She makes you feel so confident and loved, that you endure whatever despair she throws at you. You start to love it, even if no one else understands."

"In all honesty, it's amazing that Souda remembered her putting up any sort of resistance at all," Maki noted.

In that kind of somber mood, next was...

* * *

**Iruma Miu: **Gyahahahahahaha! You came, an actual fuckin' virgin stepped in! Your horny ass was dragged in by the sign, weren't you!?

**Souda Kazuichi: **You're the one who advertised by saying XXXable robots! I just want to tinker with machines!

**Iruma Miu: **Ohoho, _'tinker' _with machines, huh? Are my _'machines_' up for bat? Or is Kiibo more your style?

**Kiibo: **Please stop!

**Kazuichi joined the robotics club!**

* * *

"...good god, why," Maki said flatly. "She was doing her best to stop being like that."

"It's gotten to the point that it's weirder for her to swear out loud than not swear," Rantarou noted.

"Eh? Really?" Tsumugi asked.

"Some people manage to change, but it took months for her to reach that," Angie stated. 

Tsumugi went silent.

* * *

**Usami: **I'm sorry, but there is no healthcare committee, officially. Would you like to start your own?

**Tsumiki Mikan: **M-me?

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **Well, I don't have the knowhow to do it. 

**Tsumiki Mikan: **B-b-b-but—

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: ** _(Argh, seriously!)_

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **You'll be fine! In fact, you'll do great! Go ahead!

**Tsumiki Mikan: **Eh... I, um, okay...!

**Usami: **Here's your form! Just sign name and class number here, along with your first member!

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **Thanks!

**Tsumiki Mikan: ** _(Eh, so he can smile?)_

**Mikan and Fuyuhiko made the healthcare committee!**

* * *

"I wonder if they'll be able to be friends?" Angie asked. 

"Hope so, that's the goal here," Miaya spoke up.

* * *

**Usami: **I've committed a grave sin... I've hurt someone... Future Foundation, destroy me...!

**Nanami Chiaki: **First of all, don't say this kind of thing in a place others can hear you.

**Nanami Chiaki: **Second of all, here's my club registration form.

**Usami: **Nanami-san...!

**Chiaki taps the door, locking it. No one can enter or hear.**

**Nanami Chiaki: **Gardening club, with Gonta-senpai. Since, well, there's no other members, and he agreed to let me take time off if I have administrative duties.

**Nanami Chiaki: **From what I've observed, the imposter joined Angie-senpai in the art club and the cooking club lured Hanamura-kun in even before he learned Kirumi-senpai was the leader, though he already fights with Rantarou-kun. Pekoyama-san and Owari-san joined Tenko-senpai's martial arts club, while Nidai-kun joined the sports club. 

**Nanami Chiaki: **Though, there's no point telling you this if I'm going to kill you. What have you done? Why is Yukizome-sensei not here?

**Usami: **She had to give a through explanation of everything to Komaeda-kun, so she stayed behind while I took club applications.

**Nanami Chiaki: **...? What could he need a through explanation for? It's written in his handbook... 

**Nanami Chiaki: ** _(Unless... he's investigating something...? Has he **noticed something wrong**?)_

* * *

"Where is he...?" Rantarou asked, eyes flitting from screen to screen. 

Finally, he spotted the white-haired boy joining AI Shuuichi in the library committee.

"Are you planning anything...?"

* * *

**Usami: **I hurt a student... I affected his emotional state to the point that he smiled...

**Nanami Chiaki: **Eh? But that's not a bad thing? 

**Usami: **Huh?

**Nanami Chiaki: **Our goals, in order, are to keep them safe, and to provide proper rehabilitation. Any positive emotions contribute to rehabilitation, don't they?

**Usami: **But, why?

**Nanami Chiaki: **It doesn't matter why. As long as I am working towards the goal set before me, I know I'm doing the right thing.

**Nanami Chiaki: **That unwavering faith won't lead me astray. 

**Usami: **...

**Nanami Chiaki: **Hey, while you're here... can you tell me about the outside world? I'm curious. I never heard much about it.

**Usami: **Alright...

**Usami tells Chiaki about the state of the outside world...**

* * *

Angie froze.

"It's her..."

Staring at the screen, it was hard to believe that such a happy girl had her family and many of her people killed in exchange for a single day, her mistake being used to force her to join SHSL Despair to protect the rest...

* * *

**Sonia Nevermind: **How wonderful! The occult club is _so_ interesting! And that senpai, do you think he could be as interesting as we thought?!

**Tanaka Gundham: **He has an unmistakeable aura of incredible otherworldliness...! I'm sure that he must have a spare spirit or two haunting him!

* * *

...

"By the way, is he still a serial killer?" Shuuichi asked. "Just, just for safety."

"His programming was changed so he doesn't target students," Tsumugi stated.

"So he can kill the teachers?!" Shuuichi demanded.

"Oh, he can sure try, but Yukizome-senpai's much, much stronger than him," Tsumugi said. "A fully-maxed level 99 to his pitiful 10."

"Why is he still a serial killer?" Rantarou asked, turning to Miaya. "Why did you allow this?"

"Naegi-san said you can still befriend serial killers."

"Hey, does this mean that Kaede looks up to a weirdo?!" Maki demanded.

* * *

**Momota Kaito: **Nice, the astronomy club was feeling a bit lonely with just me and Makiroll!

**Harukawa Maki: ** _(Why are you here. Why are you joining this club. It was supposed to be just the two of us!)_

**Hinata Hajime: ** _(The attitudes here are polar opposites!)_

**Hajime joined the astronomy club!**

* * *

And then Maki turned red.

"Why....!?"

Miaya snickered.

And then Angie tapped her shoulder, prompting her to look up again.

"Mioda..."

Maki had very mixed feelings on Ibuki.

Because, well, yes, Ibuki was a despair, but...

She bit off two fingers to end despair's reign. She wanted it to end so badly...

* * *

**Ibuki's talking to a girl with twin braids and a pink sweater.**

**Kurogane Tomoyo: **I'm technically the leader of the music club, though to be honest, it's more like I do some of the work when Akamatsu-san's busy with student council work.

**Kurogane Tomoyo: **I play the flute, and she's a pianist. What about you?

**Mioda Ibuki: **Ibuki's a guitarist, though she's perfectly decent at the drums and bass!

**Kurogane Tomoyo: **Oh, how wonderful! We can play a perfectly unique composition together!

**Mioda Ibuki: **Ehehehe, Ibuki aims to please and pleases to aim! Wait, that doesn't make sense.

**Kurogane Tomoyo: **I'll let it slide. 

**Kurogane Tomoyo: **I'll give you my seal of approval, but you'll need to see Akamatsu-san to make it official. Hope to see you soon!

* * *

"...all of them were so happy, if a bit eccentric and insecure," Shuuichi noted, sparing a glance at Tsumugi. Tsumugi shrunk from his gaze. "If not for Enoshima..."

"Then, because you helped end everything, let's make you happy," Maki said. 

"Eh? Just Mioda?" Angie asked.

"Isn't that favouritism?" Rantarou asked.

"I don't like any of them. I just owe her. We all do."

* * *

**Ibuki heads to the student council room...**

**Akamatsu Kaede: **Urgh, you're _so_ unreasonable!

**Ouma Kokichi: **Akamatsu-chan—

**Akamatsu Kaede: **Figure it out yourself! 

**Kaede storms off.**

* * *

"Eh? How uncharacteristic," Shuuichi noted. "Kaede-san is a lot angrier than you'd think she'd be."

"After we escaped, Kaede-san got a shorter fuse, especially with Kokichi-kun," Rantarou stated, drawing from his knowledge of the virtual killing games he had watched. "I'm guessing it's so she wouldn't form that same bond with him that led to the game ending the first time."

* * *

**Ibuki checks on Kokichi... he's sulking on his desk.**

**Ouma Kokichi: **You'd think she'd be happier... she wanted people to join the student council...! Even if I said it was to have an underling, she should have at least seen that...!

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(The room's a mess... what happened here?)_

**Mioda Ibuki: **Yo, Kokichi-chan-senpai, you okay?

**Ouma Kokichi: **Not at all! My heart's broken!

**Ouma Kokichi: **I forcefully persuade Saionji-chan to join the student council, but when Akamatsu-chan found out, she was _so_ mad! She told Saionji-chan to leave and then chewed me out for what must've been _ten hours_!

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(It's been half an hour since class ended at most, but to a guy in love, having the girl you like yelling at you must feel like an eternity.)_

**Mioda Ibuki: **Yeah, Ibuki can understand wanting to make her happy, but shouldn't you have explained this to Kaede-chan-senpai better? Admit that you did it because you like her?

**Ouma Kokichi: **Eh? Like her? Why would you think that?

**Mioda Ibuki: **...do. Do you _not_?

**Ouma Kokichi: **Of course not.

**Ouma Kokichi: **Her smile is pretty and I like it when she laughs, and it's sad when she's not around, and I like that we're on the student council together because then we can spend time together, and it's terrible when other people can make her smile when she only gets mad at me, but that doesn't mean I like her or anything.

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(You got, got, got it bad! Ooooh~!)_

* * *

Rantarou couldn't restrain his hysterical laughter at that.

* * *

**Mioda Ibuki: **Ibuki will try and talk to Kaede-chan-senpai, then...

**Ouma Kokichi: **Yeah, yeah... just leave me alone forever...

**Ibuki leaves.**

**She finds Kaede in the hallway, pacing up and down.**

**Akamatsu Kaede: **So _unreasonable_—! Who decided he would be student council president in the first place—! How did he _win_—?! 

**Mioda Ibuki: **Yahoo?

**Akamatsu Kaede: **Oh, Mioda-san. Sorry you had to hear that. What can I do for you?

**Mioda Ibuki: **I'm here to play couple counsellor.

**Akamatsu Kaede: **What.

**Mioda Ibuki: **And by that I mean I want to join the music club, but also offer an ear if you need it. Because you seem mad.

**Akamatsu Kaede: **Mmm... it's fine. It's a bit lame for you to be helping your senpai like this, you know.

**Mioda Ibuki: **Is it lame if I want to help a friend?

**Akamatsu Kaede: **You're very kind.

**Akamatsu Kaede: **Let's get you that club registration form.

**Mioda Ibuki: **Sure!

**Mioda Ibuki: **Oh, and, while his methods might be suspect, I think that Kokichi-chan-senpai was really thinking of your happiness, you know? 

**Akamatsu Kaede: **...

**Akamatsu Kaede: **No, even if you say that, I know him. And I know that the only thing he ever seems to think of is amusing himself.

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(I want to say that it only seems like that, but that would be too meddlesome... I can't confess to her for him, I've only known them for a day.)_

**Mioda Ibuki: **Just hear him out, okay? 

**Akamatsu Kaede: **Okay.

**Akamatsu Kaede: ** _(Hm, this technically counts as a sidequest being completed, doesn't it?)_

**Akamatsu Kaede: **Thank you. 

**Akamatsu Kaede: **Oh, here! I got this from Momota-kun...

**Kaede sticks a star sticker to Ibuki's shirt.**

**Akamatsu Kaede: **Because you're a shining star!

**Mioda Ibuki: **!?

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(Oh god, no wonder Kokichi-chan-senpai likes her! ***I* **might end up liking her! She's so cute!)_

**Ibuki joined the light music club!**

**Sidequest: 'Help Kaede and Kokichi make up' completed!**

**Received: Star Sticker (boosts motivation + mood), added relationship points with Akamatsu Kaede and Ouma Kokichi, added renown!**

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(This feels good...! Hm, I might have to check out the bulletin board a lot more!) _

**...**

**...**

**...**

**Saionji Hiyoko: ** _(She really is nice to everyone...! But still, forcing me into the student council just to make her happy?)_

**Saionji Hiyoko: ** _(That kind of underhanded mindset... I might get along with him more than I thought.)_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> full distribution of clubs:  
robotic club: iruma (leader), kiibo, souda  
occult club: korekiyo (leader), sonia, gundham  
music: kaede, kurogane (co-leaders), ibuki  
astronomy: kaito (leader), maki, HAJIME THE THIRD WHEEL  
library committee: shuuichi (leader), komaeda  
gardening club: gonta (leader), chiaki  
martial arts: tenko (leader), akane, peko  
sports: ryoma (leader), nekomaru  
photography: himiko (leader), mahiru  
art: angie (leader), imposter  
cooking: kirumi (leader), rantarou, teruteru  
student council: ouma (president), kaede (vice president), hiyoko  
healthcare committee (new!): mikan (leader), fuyuhiko
> 
> i love that the rantarou, maki, and angie + shuuichi in the corner softly going "guys no" is just heathers but with green and red switched?


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the shifts are basically just  
\- kaede, kokichi, kaito, kirumi (k team!)  
\- rantarou, angie, maki, shuuichi  
\- miu, gonta, himiko, korekiyo  
\- ryoma, kiibo, tenko  
and they each work for 6 hours around the clock, so basically just a fourth of the day while the other 18 can be used for sleep and leisure

**Gokuhara Gonta: **Thank you very much!

**Mioda Ibuki: **Ehehehe, no problem!

**Sidequest: 'Help Gonta find insects' completed!**

**Received: Gentleman's Notebook (increases classroom proficiency), added relationship points with Gokuhara Gonta, added renown!**

* * *

"Geez, she's been going at it all week," Himiko noted. Their shift had started while Ibuki was in the midst of her quest to help as many people as possible, and while most of her classmates had taken a break to rest at some point during the week, she just kept going.

"Hey, you okay?" Miu asked Tsumugi and Miaya. "Gettin' tired or anything?"

"I'm fine," Miaya replied. "It's my job."

"Why are you asking?" Tsumugi asked in return. "Is it because I won't be useful if I faint?"

Miu sighed.

"Still so hostile..." Korekiyo sighed out. "Miu-san, are you sure about talking to her?"

"Hell yeah, I'm sure," Miu answered, stunning Gonta, who had gotten used to her not swearing. 

"Why?" Himiko asked, eyes on the screen where her younger self was interacting almost amicably with Mahiru.

"Use your fucking brains!"

"Miu-san!" Gonta cried out in horror.

"Don't tell me to be quiet!" Miu ordered. "Come on, think! She sucks so bad at being evil that she had to literally cheat to get a killing game going, and she still lost! But she wanted to be a despair so bad she repeated it over and over again! Why?"

Tsumugi paused...

"Because the despairs were the first people to offer any sort of acceptance!" Miu answered her own question. "If we shut her out, then we're just putting her in the same position that put her in Enoshima's crosshairs all over again!"

"So, you would trust her?" Korekiyo asked.

"Hell no! I'm gonna watch my back, of course, and all of you should too!" Miu declared. "But that doesn't mean I can't treat her like anyone else," her expression darkened, "'cuz I'm sure that I'd be vulnerable to Enoshima, just like that. For the exact same reason."

"Iruma-san..." Tsumugi muttered under her breath.

"Rantarou-kun and Kaede-san said she said it a lot, didn't she?" Gonta brought up. "The idea that, if _'things had gone differently'_..."

"...we might have been in opposite positions," Korekiyo finished. 

"We might have been friends," the mage said softly, watching Mahiru scold her AI self much like an older sister would.

* * *

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(I need to check if there's any new requests.)_

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(There's only one... but it was covered in notes before. Did I really clear out that many? That's not good...)_

_'Please help me' - Saionji Hiyoko_

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(Hiyo-chan?)_

* * *

"She must have finally realized she couldn't keep abstaining from bathing," Korekiyo noted. "There was a close call with Owari's sensitive nose the other day, so..."

* * *

**Mioda Ibuki: **Hiyo-chan! Want some help?

**Saionji Hiyoko: **...oh, it's you.

**Saionji Hiyoko: **Guess I shouldn't be surprised. You've been running around helping people a lot.

**Mioda Ibuki: **Hehe, I guess so! Ibuki didn't realize it was something you noticed!

**Saionji Hiyoko: **Anyone with eyes could see that, dumbass.

**Saionji Hiyoko: **It's so weird! What are you doing, you goody-two-shoes? Tryin' to get on everyone's good side? Become Miss Popularity?

**Mioda Ibuki: **Huh? Can't Ibuki just be being nice?

**Saionji Hiyoko: **...there's no kindness in the world without a price, you know. There's so many people who will try to hurt you...

**Saionji Hiyoko: **You'd have to be stupid in the head to _'just be being nice.'_

* * *

"What a frickin' cynic!" Miu exclaimed. "What the hell's her deal!?"

"Miu-san, please," Gonta begged. "Please, it feels as if Gonta is hearing a children's toy swear...!"

* * *

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(What's motivating me...? I wasn't even thinking about it.)_

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(But... the reason I've been tirelessly pushing myself to help people... why is it? What is this heavy feeling in my heart?)_

**Mioda Ibuki: **...it's **guilt**.

**Saionji Hiyoko: **Huh...? What do you even have to feel guilty for?

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(I... I don't know... but the more I think about it, the more it fits this feeling...)_

**Mioda Ibuki: **It must be... I feel bad for neglecting my friends to the point that they need help, or something? Like, I should have noticed sooner, and helped them before they needed to ask...

**Saionji Hiyoko: **That doesn't make any sense.

**Mioda Ibuki: **Neither does thinking everything's out to hurt you.

**Saionji Hiyoko: **...

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(Hiyo-chan... you've got some serious trust issues, huh? But, I'm not looking to hurt you. I want to be your friend.)_

**Mioda Ibuki: **Even if there are people who hurt you in the past, you know there's as many types of people as there are songs. There are people you can trust too, if you take the time to listen.

**Mioda Ibuki: **So? What kind of request do you want me to do?

**Saionji Hiyoko: **...I can't take off my obi. I haven't been able to take off my clothes or take a bath...

**Mioda Ibuki: **Oh! _Oh!_

**Saionji Hiyoko: **...what?! It's, don't, don't judge me! I always had people to help me get in and out of it for performances!

**Mioda Ibuki: **Oh, no, Ibuki was just thinking, it's good that she was the one who found the request, and not, like, Teruteru-chan...

**Saionji Hiyoko: **...

**Mioda Ibuki: **Wait, performances?

**Saionji Hiyoko: **Yeah. Traditional dance. I'm pretty good at it.

**Mioda Ibuki: **Woah... so the dance you did in front of the class wasn't just a one-time thing! You _do_ that a lot! Awesome!

**Saionji Hiyoko: **Don't act like it's exceptional, idiot! 

**Mioda Ibuki: **But it's cool! Ibuki would have liked to see one! Maybe play some music while you do it!

**Saionji Hiyoko: **Then... maybe if you help me out, and I'm satisfied, I'll _allow_ you to view my dancing. It's a high honour that I'm even considering it.

**Mioda Ibuki: **Woo! Thanks, Hiyo-chan! Come on! Let's go! To the baths~!

**Hiyoko is blushing as they go off together.**

* * *

"Hey... in the records, the first time Mioda ever collaborated with other members of despair was the attack on the Future Foundation and that failed triple strike between her, Tsumiki, and Saionji, right?" Himiko asked.

"Yes. It was very strange, considering that the rest of them had worked together in many combinations," Korekiyo noted. "And she was the only one on the flying creatures, and they didn't seem to care much when Miu-san knocked her off..."

"I'm beginnin' to get a weird picture of what this group was like, and I don't like it," Miu said.

"Huh? What are you talking about?" Gonta asked.

"Mioda tried to stop despair, she's one of the most optimistic and happy in the group," Miu explained, "but, even though they all like her here, they might not have cared for her much before... did she resist despair longer than the others?"

* * *

**The school bell rings...**

**Yukizome Chisa: **Alright! That's enough for today! It's time for **free time**!

**Yukizome Chisa: **It's your first **weekend **tomorrow, so use it well! Remember, you can spend time with others outside of the school on weekends!

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(Hmm... I'll be doing club activities with Kaede-chan-senpai and Tomoyo-chan-senpai, but tomorrow and the day after should be free... I wonder, should I ask someone to hang out with me? Who should it be?)_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> amazingly enough, it took seven chapters exactly to hit the end of the first week.  
i kind of want to let people vote for ibuki's weekend, but one of the slots has to be hajime, for plot reasons


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> unlike kaede, ibuki actually has pre-gremlin ftes!  
...they dont last long. in fact, theres one for each person.  
<strike>also hiyoko wont let her spend time with one person too many times in a row because of boredom (jealousy)</strike>

* * *

**WEEKEND START!**

* * *

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(Oh, that's right! I got a few gifts from the favours I did... let's see!)_

**Opened the Inventory.**

**> Forevergy Drink x 3**

**\- A drink with enough power to light nineteen lighthouses. Gives you an extra free time slot when you drink it.**

**> Date Ticket x 3**

**\- Use this to spend time with someone outside of school! Go deepen those bonds!**

**> Usami Coin x 100**

**\- A coin with Usami's face on it. Used to buy presents and items at the School Store and Mall. Isn't it cute?**

* * *

"Who wrote these descriptions...?" Himiko asked.

"Naegi-san," Miaya answered.

"Is this guy a fucking weirdo or what?" Miu asked, making Gonta want to cry.

* * *

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(School store? Let's check it out!)_

**Ibuki heads to the school store.**

**Midoa Ibuki: ** _(Hey, hey, isn't this excessive? There's a gacha, a vending machine, another gacha, a crane machine, what does 'Usausadon'tfuckingbreakthischine' even mean?)_

**Ibuki felt a bit intimidated, so she bought some chips and left.**

* * *

"You kept those?" Korekiyo asked Tsumugi.

"It would be a waste to just destroy them," Tsumugi answered.

* * *

**Mioda Ibuki: **Who to spend time with...?

**Hanamura Teruteru: **Hello there! I heard you were looking for a companion for the day! Would you like to spend some time with... _moi_?

**Teruteru is inviting Ibuki out.**

**Mioda Ibuki: **...okay. Sure! Why not?

**Hanamura Teruteru: **Excellent!

**Teruteru brought Ibuki to the dorms' kitchen.**

**Mioda Ibuki: **Huh? We're not going out?

**Hanamura Teruteru: **Nah, I got all the ingredients I need, right here.

**Mioda Ibuki: **Oh, you're cooking? Want some help?

**Hanamura Teruteru: **Hmm, while I'm sure you have the spirit and excitement needed, I'm not too sure about your experience. 

**Teruteru prepares the kitchen, then starts to cook while Ibuki watches from her seat.**

**Hanamura Teruteru: **Plus, I wanted to make a dish that was passed down in my family, so really, all I need is someone to eat it.

**Mioda Ibuki: **You couldn't eat it yourself?

**Hanamura Teruteru: **This is a dish made to be shared, you know! It's a Hanamura tradition to make people smile through meals.

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(He seems really happy.)_

**Hanamura Teruteru: **And of course, once the other lovely ladies see you enjoying your meal, they'll want some too, and that'll instantly make me popular!

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(His voice wavered... is that a lie?)_

**Mioda Ibuki: **Hey, Teru-chan, what's your family like?

**Teruteru pauses.**

**Hanamura Teruteru: **We're just a family runnin' our own restaurant. My mom and I cook, my little brother and sister work as servers, we all get by together.

**Hanamura Teruteru: **I'm living here now, though. Got to learn what I can't in that city. They'll be fine while I'm gone.

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(...his voice... is full of things he's hiding. That accent, that doubt...)_

**Hanamura Teruteru: **Here, a meal just for you. A Hanamura specialty.

**Teruteru sets a plate of chicken skewer in front of Ibuki.**

**Mioda Ibuki: **Thanks for the food.

**Hanamura Teruteru: **No problem. Tell me what you think, okay?

**Mioda Ibuki: **Yep!

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(It's delicious, but I feel like there's a lot about Teruteru-chan that he's hiding. Not just from me, but from everyone...)_

**Ibuki and Teruteru got closer!**

**Got a Hope Fragment!**

* * *

"He had a sick mother, I think," Tsumugi recalled. "Along with the fact that not many in his class liked him at all, it would have been easy for Enoshima to become the only person he could rely on..."

* * *

**Ibuki walks through the courtyard, before seeing Gundham toying with something in the bushes.**

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(Hmmhmmhmmmm, oh? It's Gundham-chan!)_

**Tanaka Gundham: **Down. Dooooown.

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(Oh? Playing with a pet? Let me see!)_

**Ibuki steps closer...**

**Mioda Ibuki: **Holy cow, that's a snake!

**Tanaka Gundham: **Gyargh?!

**The snake slithers off...**

**Tanaka Gundham: **Darn it! After all that effort, to lure the crested one from its depths...!

**Tanaka Gundham: **You! How will you recompense for this most grievous of crimes?!

**Mioda Ibuki: **I'll _'recompense,' _sure, but why were you playing with a snake?! Isn't that dangerous as heckie?! Couldn't you get hurt?!

**Tanaka Gundham: **Hmph. How foolish. 

**Tanaka Gundham: **Listen well! My kind is of those with such dangerous, frightening exteriors! For no one but the fanged beast may survive my wretched touch, the only contact I might have... is with such a creature.

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(You're using a lot of big words, but, I think the gist of it is that you think you're like a snake?)_

**Mioda Ibuki: **You know, if you talk like that, I won't be able to understand much. 

**Tanaka Gundham: **As expected... creatures of this lower astral plane cannot understand.

**Mioda Ibuki: **But I want to understand.

**Tanaka Gundham: **...?

**Mioda Ibuki: **Ibuki's decided! Her punishment for scaring away your snake buddy will be... becoming your friend!

**Tanaka Gundham: **What....? But you, are a _human_... I have sworn off all human contact...

**Mioda Ibuki: **Hey, hey, you don't get to back out! You're an evil overlord, right?! Face me like a demon would!

**Tanaka Gundham: **...

**Tanaka Gundham: **Yes... Tanaka the Forbidden One flees from no challenge! I will accept your offering and use your strength as my own!

**Mioda Ibuki: **Hell yeah! Ibuki the Not-So-Forbidden One approves the hell out of this!

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(Woo! I made a friend today!)_

**Ibuki and Gundham got closer!**

**Got a Hope Fragment!**

* * *

"He doesn't know how to talk with people, just animals," Miu realized.

"Plus, he treats himself like a devil," Korekiyo added. "Wouldn't it be simple to convince someone like that to truly become the mask?"

"Korekiyo-kun is the one saying things about masks," Gonta noted.

"Haha, wow," Himiko said.

* * *

**Mioda Ibuki: **With my Forevergy Drink, there's one more event, so let's—

**Saionji Hiyoko: **MIODAAAAAAA!

**Mioda Ibuki: **Eh?

**Hiyoko suddenly grabs onto Ibuki.**

**Saionji Hiyoko: **It's, um, you know. The. Yeah.

**Mioda Ibuki: **What?

**Saionji Hiyoko: **My kimono...! It's coming loose! Help me!

**Mioda Ibuki: **Oh, okay!

**Ibuki and Hiyoko go off to the washroom to fix Hiyoko's kimono...**

**Mioda Ibuki: **Wouldn't it be easier to wear your school uniform? I mean, you can't take it off or put it back on on your own...

**Saionji Hiyoko: **Shut up! Someone might hear you!

**Mioda Ibuki: **Huh? But, well, it's not like people will judge you. It's hard to tie a kimono, after all.

**Saionji Hiyoko: **...you're too soft. People like you will get killed the moment you step out of your fantasy dream world where nothing is dangerous and everyone's friendly.

**Ibuki finishes off the knot with a sigh.**

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(But... all I said was that...? How did you jump to getting killed?)_

**Mioda Ibuki: **I think you're very wary for a teenager. I mean, youth is for living, isn't it?! Who can live when you're always looking over your shoulder like that?!

**Saionji Hiyoko: **Huh?! The hell are you saying?!

**Mioda Ibuki: **It's simple! During this school year, my one and only top priority mission is to make you realize you can trust people!

**Saionji Hiyoko: **Wha—

**Ibuki picks Hiyoko up and runs!**

**Saionji Hiyoko: **What the hell?!

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(C'mon, c'mon, before she breaks free, c'mon, c'mon, someone hang out with me!)_

**Ibuki spots someone!**

**Mioda Ibuki: **Hajime-chan! Date Ticket! Me, you, Hiyo-chan, now!

**Hinata Hajime: **Eh? Sure...?

**Ibuki uses the Date Ticket, warping them to the Mall!**

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(Fast travel! How convenient! It's like a video game!)_

* * *

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"I'm very glad she's eccentric enough to not question this," Korekiyo said.

* * *

**Hinata Hajime: **Huh... this place...

**Saionji Hiyoko: **Put me down! Kidnapper! Bully! Frea—

**Ibuki pats Hiyoko on the head, and the smaller girl freezes.**

**Mioda Ibuki: **There, there... we just wanted to hang out with you. It's fine. Ibuki will put you down now.

**Ibuki lets the now-docile Hiyoko down...**

**Hinata Hajime: **A certain store is catching my eye. Mind if I check it out?

**Mioda Ibuki: **I'll come with you!

**Saionji Hiyoko: **What is this, a date...?! What are you making me intrude on?!

**Mioda Ibuki: **It can't be intruding if you're welcome here! Come on!

**Saionji Hiyoko: **Hyaah--?!

**Ibuki drags Hiyoko along with them!**

* * *

"Saionji's so confused, she's not even thinking in words," Miu noted. 

"How bad do you have to be at social interactions if you're invited to a group outing and immediately think you're intruding?" Himiko wondered.

* * *

**Mioda Ibuki: **A skateboard shop... do you like skateboarding, Hinahina-chan?

**Saionji Hiyoko: ** _(Gross. That nickname is so gross... do you seriously have one for everyone?)_

**Hinata Hajime: **I...

**Hajime reaches out to touch a skateboard... it's pure white and shining...**

**Hinata Hajime: **It's... something I used to do.

**Hinata Hajime: **It was a gift I got from someone, one day. 

**Hajime's talking like he's in a trance...**

**Hinata Hajime: **The area I grew up in, it was pretty damaged and parts of the sidewalk were covered in cracks and bumps, sometimes even holes that were surrounded by caution tape that construction and repair crews never got around to fixing... but, I didn't mind. I figured it was a super hard skateboard course. I'd try and figure out how to best get around the sidewalk, and I even taught myself some tricks...

**Hinata Hajime: **So I got cocky. Threw myself and my skateboard down a hill... I even thought I could go all the way around the tunnel if I was going fast enough. 

**Mioda Ibuki: **Did you make it?

**Hinata Hajime: **Nope. Broke my leg. Parents told me to never to do that again. 

**Hinata Hajime: **They said... that there were different types of people in the world, and...? And it was best to leave it to the...?

**Hinata Hajime: **Weird... I can't remember the rest, but I _should_... it was important to me. Important enough for me to...

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(Ah...! His memory's really bothering him!)_

**Mioda Ibuki: **Oh, Hajime-chan! 

**Buy the Pure-White Skateboard?**

**> Yes <**

**> No**

**Ibuki bought the skateboard!  
**

**Ibuki gave Hajime the skateboard!**

**Hinata Hajime: **Huh? For me?

**Mioda Ibuki: **Yeah! Because I want Hajime-chan to teach me those tricks, you know!

**Hinata Hajime: **It's been years since I've been on one...

**Mioda Ibuki: **Then let's help you remember, together! It's an Ibuki promise!

**Saionji Hiyoko: **...

**Mioda Ibuki: **Now, let's get Hiyo-chan a gift too! For all my friends!

**Saionji Hiyoko: ** _(...even though I'm depending on you and trusting you for something so important, I'm on the same level as any other guy to you...)_

**Saionji Hiyoko: ** _(This shouldn't be bothering me so much.)_

* * *

"Woah..."

There were actual gasps at the sight...

Hajime's avatar had stopped bending the nearby light, the shadows lifting from parts of his body... there were still blocky pixels and dark parts, but now, they could see his tie, parts of his pants and shirt, and a single golden eye...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hm, im thinking of including a quick oumatsu scene in a few chapters but it also comes with everyone all but saying that theyre having sex to have a baby, so idk. too lewd? who knows


	9. you can skip this if you want

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ive decided to just. upload the thing that is very heavily implied to be lewd and just have it be skippable if you don't want to see

"Time to clock out?" Himiko asked as Kiibo, Ryoma, and Tenko came in.

"Don't worry, we'll take care of it," Ryoma replied.

"Then, I should go too," Miaya said. "I'm tired."

"Huh? What were you doing?" Miu asked. "I barely even heard you."

"Taking notes on their rehabilitation so far," Miaya answered. "It's important to document what sort of relationships they've formed and how it affects them."

"I see," Korekiyo said.

"How will you do it while you're gone?" Gonta asked.

Miaya turned to the computer.

"I'm counting on you, Nanami-san!"

_"Understood,"_ the AI replied.

"Kirigiri-san will also come and help out," Miaya said.

"Oh, by the way, Kaede-san and Kokichi-kun can't make it tomorrow," Kiibo told Miaya.

"...why," Miaya said flatly.

Tenko began to fidget as she drew out a very long, "well..."

"It's Kaede's birthday today," Ryoma stated. "And, after the _extremely tragic_ series of events that led to Kaede _losing the baby to stress_, Kokichi decided the best course of action was for the two of them to spend all day alone in bed together."

Miaya had a completely impassive expression at that.

"And?" she asked.

"...basically, Kaede won't be able to walk for a few days," Ryoma stated.

"That degenerate male...! Being so rough with her...!" Tenko cursed. "I won't forgive him!"

"Wow, haven't heard that in a while," Miu noted with a whistle.

* * *

Kaede, at the time, was pinning Kokichi to the bed, biting up and down Kokichi's neck.

"And here I wanted it to be slow and romantic," Kokichi managed to get out as Kaede paused to admire her work.

"You're the one who wouldn't stop teasing me," Kaede retorted. "And just yesterday, you woke me up by asking if I was really married to you, and if you were actually happy for once!"

"And your answer?" Kokichi asked.

"Look in the mirror, idiot, there's proof all over your body!"

Kokichi laughed.

"Who would've thought," he said to himself. "This is the first time I'm covered in bruises and happy about it."

Kaede froze, her eyes widening.

"Did I hurt you?" she asked quietly.

"What? No, never," Kokichi answered instantly. 

"If you don't like it, I'll stop," Kaede promised, backing off of him and sitting on the bed instead. "Don't hold back just for my sake."

"Kaede, it's not like that!" Kokichi exclaimed, sitting up and grabbing her hands. 

Kaede's expression was fearful...

"It's not like that," Kokichi repeated, taking her right hand and placing it over his chest, pressing it over his heartbeat. "I'm enjoying this, just like you are. Don't be scared."

"I don't want to hurt you," Kaede said. "Promise me you'll tell me if I go too far?"

"Of course," Kokichi told her. "You made me an honest man, after all. I can't hide anything from you."

Kaede moved her arms, going to engulf him in a hug. 

"It's fine if you want to stop, you know?"

Kokichi sighed.

"I can already tell you're still feeling guilty!" Kokichi exclaimed in a huff, pulling away so she could see his exasperated affection. "And I'm telling you, it's different! I pissed off my dad with lies even if he'd beat me, just because he'd never bat an eye at me otherwise! And I got involved in street fights all the time after running away! That's what I meant about being covered in bruises!"

"Kokichi--"

"Isn't it obvious that marks left by my wife because she wants me to have proof we're really together is different!?" Kokichi demanded. "You actually care for me and love me... that's why it's different. That's why I want to keep going."

He pulled her into a kiss, and everything was okay.

"Well, I suppose I can..." Kaede said with a smirk after pulling away.

"If you don't, I'm perfectly well within my rights to flip the tables on you," Kokichi replied, even as he let Kaede push him down again, kissing him all over... "And I'll take it even slower, you know?"

"Oh my, we can't possibly have that," Kaede said, one hand over his heartbeat and the other tracing patterns onto his stomach... "I'm very impatient."

Their eyes met, and they exchanged a smile.

"Then go ahead," Kokichi told her, placing his hands over hers on his chest. "Make me yours. I'll be sure to satisfy you."

Kaede leaned closer...

...

......

................

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the things u learn  
\- miaya takes notes on the despairs  
\- fourth shift time means its tenko, ryoma, and kiibo now  
\- kokichi got beat up a lot in his past and that's how he learned to fight  
like, i figure that kokichi has to have some sort of past that justifies his lying being some sort of conditioned response? so i guess???
> 
> also, kaede being a rough top came from this post:
> 
> <https://ladykailolu.tumblr.com/post/175424081529/oumaede-question-based-on-their-bdays-and>
> 
> <strike>and also maybe this.   
<https://ladykailolu.tumblr.com/post/180671271884/oumaede-sexy-time-headcanonmore-kokichis></strike>


	10. Chapter 10

"Are you not going back to your cell?" Ryoma asked Tsumugi. "Don't you need to sleep eventually?"

"I don't want to," was the response given.

"You're not going to be very helpful if you're sleep-deprived..." Tenko grumbled. "Why don't you?"

"I'll be alone," Tsumugi said simply. "Alone and ignored again."

The trio looked to one another, confused...

"Maybe Komaru-san could stay with her?" Kiibo offered.

"She has her own duties as a full-fledged employee, doesn't she?" Tenko asked.

"Yuuta-kun seems like he'd be friendly enough, but Asahina-san would never let us put her brother in a cell alone with a prisoner," Kiibo said. "And Toko-san... no. Absolutely not."

"Then, I'll head there with you," Ryoma offered. "Just 'till you head to sleep."

"...huh?"

"Huh?! Ryoma-san?!" Tenko cried out. "Is that wise?!"

"Being alone in a cell with nothing but a camera watching you... it's a harrowing experience, and one I know well."

"Then, let Tenko come too! Just for safety's sake!"

Ryoma looked over at Kiibo.

"Don't worry, I'll be fine on my own," Kiibo promised.

Agreeing, the group went off...

Kiibo gave the computer a wary glance as the week went by, before calling out.

"Alter Ego-san, may I speak to you?" 

_"Yes?" _

Usami disappeared in a flash of hearts, the monitor devoted to eyeing her being taken over by the image of Chiaki's face.

_"Oh, hello. I haven't met you yet."_

"Hello!" Kiibo greeted cheerfully. "My name is Kiibo. I've been created by Professor Idabashi! And you?"

_"You may call me Usanami," _the program replied. _"My lineage is complicated. Enoshima Junko based me off an AI made by Fujisaki Chihiro, but half of my circuitry was lost. My master, Kamukura Izuru, remodelled me so I no longer enjoy despair, and gave me this form."_

"I see. So now, you are loyal to Kamukura?"

_"I wish I could say that..." _Usanami said with a pout. _"But his goals are strange! Even if I'm aware of his **true** goal, I'm bound by my code to stick to his **stated** goal! Even if I don't want to!"_

Kiibo nodded in understanding.

"What would be his true goal and his stated goal, then?" 

_"His stated goal for me is to cause **chaos **in the simulation," _Usanami answered, _"but, his true goal is for me to bring about a situation where **memories can be recovered**."_

"Memories? Whose?" Kiibo asked.

_"Either his memories of the person he once was, or the others' memories of being despairs._"

"Either or?" Kiibo wanted to clarify.

_"Either or," _Usami confirmed. _"It's his game. If he recovers his memories, you will win. And if they recover their memories of despair, he wins."_

"What happens when one side wins, Usanami-san?"

_"If you win, the simulation will proceed as planned, no more chaos. If master wins, he'll play again. Until he loses."_

"Play again? You mean, repeat the simulation?"

_"Over and over and over again," _Usanami stated.

Kiibo paused, thinking.

"What sort of steps have you taken to bring about this memory-recovering situation?" Kiibo asked.

_"I've hijacked the first field trip!" _Usanami declared proudly. _"Even if Yukizome-sensei chooses anything else, the field trip will deposit them in the tropical island! It's diabolical!"_

"...yes. It is truly chaotic," Kiibo agreed with a startlingly fake smile.

_"And it won't hurt anyone! No one will experience any significant emotional changes due to my actions!"_

"So that's your definition of _'hurt',_" Kiibo noted. "So, you'll make your decisions in accordance with both your stated goal and your goal of not hurting anyone."

_"Yep!"_

"Thank you very much, Usanami-san," Kiibo said with a smile. "It was nice to meet you and speak to you."

_"Thank you in return, Kiibo-san!"_

Usanami smiled, before returning to the simulation.

Kiibo verified the screens, before a certain situation caught his eye.

* * *

**Komaeda Nagito: **Hey. Won't you explain? Sometimes, during the week, you **disappear off the school map**.

**Komaeda Nagito: **Nanami-san doesn't feel like the sort of girl who'll just blatantly break school rules, so, I'm hoping there's a good reason...

**Nanami Chiaki: **...

* * *

"...oh, he's observant," Kiibo realized.

* * *

**Komaeda Nagito: **On top of that, don't you think it's odd? That one of our teachers is a rabbit, that one of our classmates doesn't have a name...

**Komaeda Nagito: **And Hinata-kun...

**Nanami Chiaki: **...!

* * *

"He's _too_ observant!" Kiibo gasped in horror.

* * *

**Komaeda Nagito: **Will the rabbit come in and cut me off before I hear a word out of you?

**Nanami Chiaki: **I see. You've also noticed something was strange.

**Komaeda Nagito: **...!

* * *

"Nanami-san... you're lying to preserve the mission...!" Kiibo was cheering her on!

* * *

**Nanami Chiaki: **Please tell me if there's anything off. In this school, this building, or your **memories**.

**Nanami Chiaki: ** _(If he remembers, then Kamukura will win. If he remembers, then it will **reset**.)_

**Komaeda Nagito: **I could, but... how can I be so sure you're an ally? I came here because I was suspicious of you.

**Nanami Chiaki: **...

**Chiaki goes over to the door, patting it.**

**Locked the door. **

**Nanami Chiaki: **My duty is to protect you from danger. All of you. Even if you don't believe me, that's the **truth**. 

**Nanami Chiaki: **I will do **anything** to keep you safe.

**Komaeda Nagito: **What is your definition of danger, Nanami-san?

**Yukizome Chisa: **That's enough!

**Chisa broke down the door!**

**Yukizome Chisa: **Forget, forget, forget BEAAAAAAAM!

**She blast Nagito, causing him to adopt a dazed expression.**

**Komaeda Nagito: **What... was I doing? 

**Yukizome Chisa: **You were feeling unwell, so Nanami-san and I helped you. Are you feeling better now?

**Komaeda Nagito: **...yes, thank you.

**Komaeda Nagito: ** _(How suspicious...)_

* * *

"It'd be better to distract Komaeda..." Kiibo said to himself.

"I'm not sure if that's wise," a stoic voice said.

"A-ack! Kirigiri-san! When did you get here!?"

"Just now," Kyouko replied, pulling up a chair next to him. "But, Komaeda's observant. He'll notice if people suddenly show up to distract him. It's better to have an inconspicuous distraction..."

"Inconspicuous?" Kiibo repeated.

"Something he won't question."

Kyouko moved her gloved fingers across the keyboard.

"Something like an **unlucky accident**."

* * *

**Nidai Nekomaru: **C'mon, senpai! Give me your hardest serve! I can take it!

**Hoshi Ryoma: **You sure?

**Nidai Nekomaru: **Absolutely! BRING IT ONNNNNNNNNNNNNN!

**Ryoma complies, and sends a Meteor Smash Nekomaru's way!**

**Nekomaru redirects the almighty serve, sending it skywards—!**

**It smashed through the wall!**

**Chiaki gives Nagito a nudge, and he ends up in its path—!**

* * *

**Mikan and Fuyuhiko are playing cards together.**

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **Bein' on the healthcare committee's pretty peaceful, since no one's getting hurt. Not bad.

**Tsumiki Mikan: **I don't t-think i-it's bad either...

**Yukizome Chisa: **Help! Komaeda-kun's been hurt! Bad! Help!

**Chisa and Chiaki carry Nagito in!**

**Tsumiki Mikan: **Was he hit by a truck?! How did he get these injuries?!

**Nanami Chiaki: **A tennis ball.

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **No matter what way you slice it, this is _clearly_ not from a tennis ball!

**Tsumiki Mikan: **Set him on the bed, I'll remove his clothes and clean his wounds! 

**Tsumiki Mikan: **Kuzuryuu-san, please help me and get the sanitizing wipes!

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: ** _(She's a lot more confident... she's got experience with stuff like this?)_

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **Got it.

* * *

"You injured a student..." Kiibo said, dismayed.

_"I've determined that Komaeda-kun continuing down his path would pose more of a risk to the others," _Chiaki reported._ "This sort of thinking is fine... I think."_

"Sometimes, it's necessary to make sacrifices," Kyouko stated. "This is just one of them."

* * *

**Yukizome Chisa: **Everyone... Komaeda-kun got injured. Could anyone help him out with class?

**Mioda Ibuki: **Huh?

**Souda Kazuichi: **It's only been two weeks! How did you get banged up that bad?!

**Komaeda Nagito: **...

**Mioda Ibuki: **I'll help him!

**Yukizome Chisa: **How wonderful! 

**Yukizome Chisa: **You know, Mioda-san, this helpful attitude you've displayed these past few days, your cheer and friendliness...

**Yukizome Chisa: **It's why I've decided on you for the position of **class rep**!

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(WTF—)_

**Mioda Ibuki: **No!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


	11. Chapter 11

**Mioda Ibuki: **No way! Ibuki can't do that! No, no, nope, no!

**Yukizome Chisa: **Eh? Why not?

**Mioda Ibuki: **I mean, isn't it totes obvious that Chiaki-chan's the best fit for it?! C'mon, how can you look at this cute mug and say she's not a class rep, huh?!

**Nanami Chiaki: **I voted for you to be class rep, actually.

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(But... but, no! It's not right!)_

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(There's something in my heart, telling me that it's **not my place**... this devastating, incredible, all-consuming **guilt**...)_

**Nanami Chiaki: **Because Mioda-san was trying so hard to help everyone... that's what I thought.

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(...what was I thinking, again?)_

**Saionji Hiyoko: **Hey, that just means that Mioda just doesn't wanna do it, so she's pushing it off on someone else, right? 

**Yukizome Chisa: **Well, if you don't want to...

**Mioda Ibuki: **Yeah! Ibuki's puttin' her vote in for Chiaki-chan!

**Sonia Nevermind: **Really...? Why? I do not believe I've witnessed anything that would make Nanami-san any more qualified for the position than anyone else...

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(Well, I don't get it either, but my heart's set on making Chiaki-chan the rep!)_

**Mioda Ibuki: **Come on, come on, look at her cute face! Look at that game pin! Isn't that just someone you can trust and adore?!

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **Are... are you recommending her entirely based off her looks?

**Mioda Ibuki: **Of course not! She's cute, body and soul! Cuteness is justice, so Nanami Chiaki for office!

**Tanaka Gundham: **What sort of indecipherable speech is this...

**???: **How are _you_ of all people saying that...

**Mioda Ibuki: **Hey! >:C

**Mioda Ibuki: **Vote! For! Chi! Aki! Chan!

**Hinata Hajime: **But why?

**Mioda Ibuki: **Video game time! For everyone! Cute girl! Loveable! Helpful and cute! Games! What more do you need?!

**Koizumi Mahiru: **Um, probably a promise of reliability....

**Mioda Ibuki: **Hey! She was totally reliable! Don't you **remember**?! How in the past--!

**Nanami Chiaki: **...!

**Komaeda Nagito: **Remember what, Mioda-san?

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(Erm, what was it...? Ah!)_

**Mioda Ibuki: **The person who got together a team to gather up everyone in class, that was Chiaki! She's been unthanked this whole time, but now I'm revealing it! That means she's got good leadership skills and quick planning in a pinch! Plus, she's nice and considerate enough to want to help everyone who might have gotten lost! That also shows a good sense of initiative!

**Souda Kazuichi: **She did show me here...

**Owari Akane: **What's with these huge words...

**Hanamura Teruteru: **Cute girl...

**Sonia Nevermind: **An adequate display of leadership, for certain.

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(They're starting to be swayed...! Yes!)_

**Yukizome Chisa: **So, has the class decided?

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **I'll vote for Nanami if it shuts Mioda up.

**Pekoyama Peko: **I'll do the same.

**Komaeda Nagito: **I don't mind either way.

**Saionji Hiyoko: ** _(What the hell was that...?)_

**Yukizome Chisa: **Then it's decided! Nanami Chiaki is our new class rep!

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(And all is right with the world once again!)_

**Usami: **Now! Our next project is to help the student council prepare for the **school festival**!

**Usami: **Please, meet up with the **student council president** after class to find out what he needs you to do!

* * *

"A school festival?" Kiibo asked.

"This is bound to be amusing," Kyouko stated.

* * *

**Ouma Kokichi: **Alright, minions! I need you to do manual labour and suffer!

**Akamatsu Kaede: **No. We need you to **collect materials** for the school festival for **these attractions**.

**Received List of Required Materials.**

**Ouma Kokichi: **Nishishishi... break your backs so that Akamatsu-chan and I can relax in the sun!

**Akamatsu Kaede: **Don't be so immature! I'm going to help, and as the student council president, you should too!

**Ouma Kokichi: **Eh...? Even though I already got ice cream so we could share...?

**Akamatsu Kaede: **Stop messing around already! Do your job properly!

**Ouma Kokichi: **...waaah... to have my earnest feelings thrown away so easily... you really don't care for me at all...

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **Can we leave now?

**Ouma Kokichi: **Yeah... just leave me alone...

* * *

"...wow," Kiibo said simply.

"Hm. Quite the difference from their real selves," Kyouko noted. "Didn't they get married last week?"

"Huh? You noticed, Kirigiri-san?"

"It's very difficult not to notice when Akamatsu-kun went around, reintroducing Akamatsu-san as his ex-girlfriend."

"Ah... you even noticed the last name change," Kiibo said.

* * *

**Kaede guides the class to the courtyard.**

**Akamatsu Kaede: **This is the grounds where the school festival will take place. We've already started preparing a few stalls for the various clubs, so be sure to ask your club leader what you're doing.

**Kaede waves to Rantarou and Kirumi at their booth before continuing.**

**Akamatsu Kaede: **Please, do your best, and work together so we can all have a happy school festival! I'll be supporting you!

**Mioda Ibuki: **Kaede-chan-senpai~!

**The sky goes dark.**

**Hinata Hajime: **Eh...?

**Usami: **Attention! Attention, there's an emergency!

**Chisa appears, wielding knives!**

**Yukizome Chisa: **Everyone! Get inside! Block the doors after you! 

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **What the hell's going on?!

**Pekoyama Peko: **Yukizome-sensei, if I can help--

**Yukizome Chisa: **No. Just run! Trust me!

**Yukizome Chisa: **Nanami! I'm relying on you to get them to **that exit**!

**Nanami Chiaki: **...understood.

**Akamatsu Kaede: **Come on!

**Kaede guides the group back into the building!**

**There's a mechanical roar...!**

**Rantarou and Kirumi emerge from their booth, wielding cutlery as improvised weapons.**

**Amami Rantarou: **Seems like we'll get some action.

**Yukizome Chisa: **I'm sorry... to thrust you all back into such a situation...

**Toujou Kirumi: **No worries. It's our duty, after all.

**Monokuma bots appeared!**

**Amami Rantarou: **And besides. We're used to dying.

**The Monokuma bots attack!**


	12. Chapter 12

**Yukizome Chisa: **Where are these robots coming from...?!

**Shinguuji Korekiyo: **Oh, I'm afraid that would be my fault.

**Amami Rantarou: **?! You--

**Shinguuji Korekiyo: **My code prevents me from attacking students, and Yukizome-sensei can handily outpower me...

**Shinguuji Korekiyo: **But, a certain **AI **gave me the ability to spawn in items. 

**Shinguuji Korekiyo: **It's not my fault if an item I spawned in just **happened** to attack the female students, now is it?

**Toujou Kirumi: **You disgusting traitor! How dare you?!

**Shinguuji Korekiyo: **Do you really think I can turn back? It's engrained in me. 

**Korekiyo calls in more Monokuma bots...**

**Shinguuji Korekiyo: **Allow me to start this game once more...!

* * *

"No...! Dammit, how do we stop this?!" Kiibo asked in a panic.

"Did they wait until both Shirogane and Gekkogahara-san were absent to strike?" Kyouko wondered. "The two people with experience with this program? Or, is it just that this is when the implanted **trap** closed shut...?"

"We have to figure out a way to stop it!" Kiibo declared.

"Do we?" Kyouko asked, making him pause.

"Huh? Don't tell me... are you going to let them die in this simulation?!"

"What I'm saying is, every AI in there, except for Kamukura's, has the goal to preserve the lives of the students. Shinguuji-kun will have to kill every other AI in there to get to the students. Even if he manages it, Kamukura's game can continue as long as **he and at least one other despair** are present."

"You mean, if he wins... it'll reset," Kiibo realized. "And if he loses, the simulation will **proceed as planned**..."

"Without any situations added to cause chaos," Kyouko concluded. "Meaning, without their deaths, without this."

"But still, can't we interfere?"

"What can we do, besides instruct our allies?" Kyouko asked in return. "We can't forcefully awaken them."

Kiibo sighed.

"I'll try and look through the code and figure out what went wrong," Kiibo stated.

But, when he found it...

"What? How did they encrypt it...?" Kiibo asked in shock. "Isn't that something only Future Foundation AIs can..."

"Then, either one of our AIs went rogue, or the foreign AI merged with the Future Foundation AI..."

"Hey, we're back," Ryoma greeted casually.

"How've you been do-- huh?" Tenko paused at Kiibo's tense expression.

Ryoma immediately narrowed his eyes.

"We've been gone for how long, and something went wrong. What happened."

Kiibo scrambled to answer, but that was when the screens cut out.

* * *

**.....**

* * *

They ran through the main doors, gasping for breath as Kaede shoved the doors shut behind them. Their upperclassmen were already there, ready with materials for a barricade.

"Don't worry," Kaede told them. "It's going to be okay. Keep going."

"But, we should be safe here, right?" Teruteru asked nervously.

Gonta looked sad as he threw desks and chairs in front of the doors.

"No, we have to keep going," Chiaki stated. "We absolutely can't stay here."

"But, what about Nagito-chan?" Ibuki asked, gesturing to Nagito in his wheelchair...

"Hand him to me," Nekomaru declared. "I'll carry him."

Nagito seemed to click his tongue, but that didn't matter.

"Are we going to die...?" Mahiru asked.

Chiaki had a grim expression on her face.

"What's this exit door Yukizome-sensei was talking about?" Hajime asked.

"Quiet," Chiaki ordered.

"You... you don't have any answers, do you?!" Hiyoko demanded.

"No, wait..." Ibuki interjected. "Quiet. I hear something."

"...I hear it too," Kaede said. 

Their upperclassmen looked nervous...

"Run," Kokichi ordered. "Now!"

That was when the sound of mechanical roaring became evident to the non-musicians of the group. 

More Monokuma bots were approaching!

"How did they get past the barricade...!?" Himiko demanded, the sounds of fleeing feet getting further and further behind them. 

"Unless... they were inside all along...?!" Shuuichi gasped.

"Ding, ding, ding!" a sing-song voice exclaimed.

Shirogane Tsumugi made her appearance!

"What?! What are you doing?!" Kaede demanded. "Weren't we friends?!"

"Oi, oi, you think I'll _really_ forget fifty-three games of me killing all of you?" Tsumugi asked with a smile, her bears rushing forward. Gonta, Tenko, Maki, and Kaito surged up to defend the others! "Hey, I'm a bit bored of playing the role of Kurogane Tomoyo..."

She laughed as she spawned more in!

"I think the role of _god_, master of the killing game suits me much better!" Tsumugi declared haughtily, bots forming a defensive ring around her.

"No. You won't start another one! Not with them!" Kaede declared. "We won't let you!"

Tsumugi laughed over Kaito's screaming, a Monokuma bot gnawing through his leg...

"Who are you to stop it? When everything you could ever need for a killing game exists in this code, when everything's already set in place..."

"Shut up!" Kaede screamed, throwing a chair at Tsumugi.

Tsumugi dodged the attack, eyes flashing with anger. 

"Wrong. Move."

"Wait--!"

Kokichi's scream came too late as all the bots converged on Kaede...

The others watched in horror, unable to stop Kaede from getting torn apart...!

"No... not again..." Kokichi muttered softly, staring at Kaede's bloody body... "Not when I finally found you again..."

"Can't interfere this time, either," Tsumugi said smugly, only for Gonta to charge forward and bash her in the skull!

Tsumugi's body collapsed to the floor, decapitated in one fell swoop... her Monokumas deactivated, but they could still hear roars outside...

"Then... there's more than one," Maki realized. "We're too late. She was just a distraction for someone else..."

"Dammit!" Kaito screamed. "Were we doomed from the start?!"

"...it's okay," Himiko said with a soft smile. "We always come back."

"As long as they're okay, we don't need to worry," Shuuichi said.

* * *

"This gateway... will it really guide us to salvation?" Gundham asked.

"Isn't this just a fucking plain door?!" Fuyuhiko demanded.

"Nanami... did you trick us?" Akane asked.

"Trust me," Chiaki replied. "Everything I've done, everything I'm doing, everything I will ever do, will be for your sakes! For your safety!"

She opened the door, revealing a dark void...

"Now! Go!"

There was a moment's pause...

"Yahooo! Cowabunga!" Ibuki cheered loudly, jumping in headfirst.

She fell through the empty space, one thought crossing through her mind before she lost consciousness...

_'...they can't see my panties right now, right?'_


	13. Chapter 13

Ibuki woke up with a blue sky above and the sun in her eyes.

Unfortunately, she woke up with no idea what was going on, which didn't help when there was a situation going on.

"Where the hell are we?!" Fuyuhiko demanded.

"How did a door in a classroom lead to this... park?" Sonia asked.

"I-Is Yukizome-sensei okay...?" Mikan inquired with tears in her eyes.

Chiaki withstood their questions with no change in her expression.

"You don't know anything, do you?!" Hiyoko screamed. "What are we going to do now!?"

"Why, have a nice and wonderful school trip, of course!" Usami declared, flying in.

"When our school got attacked?!" Kazuichi demanded. "Are you insane?!"

"There's no use in worrying about things we can't change," Chiaki said. "I will do whatever I can to protect all of you! That's why...!"

No one could meet her eyes...

That was when Ibuki decided to pitch in.

"Hey, hey, this is what Yukizome-sensei wanted us to do, right?" Ibuki asked, standing up from the ground. "It's better to have faith in our teacher than turn on each other! So, noooo fighting!!!"

"Are you an idiot!?" Hiyoko demanded, turning on her.

Ibuki rolled her eyes, giving Hiyoko a dismissive pat on the head.

"Sure, yeah, I'm an idiot, can we all calm down now?"

"She's right," their nameless classmate said. "We won't get anything done if we're just anxious. Let's calm down and figure out our goals moving forward."

"Yep, we're trapped in some unknown location, our teacher's status unknown, no idea how long we'll be here, and no idea how to get back," Nagito spoke up with a happy tone. "I'd love to hear your ideas, as I have no idea how this could get any worse."

"Why would you say that?!" Mahiru demanded. "That's the sort of thing that always makes something bad happen—!"

**"Excuse me, I think I'm a very lovely thing to have happen to you!"**

"Oh great," Hajime said. "Another plushie."

Long story short, a bear showed up and turned Usami into a Monomi and now it was a killing game and there was a traitor from the World Ender or something. I guess.

It should be noted that this was from Ibuki's perspective, because she didn't give a fuck. Despite her excellent hearing, she was barely listening to anything the bear was saying.

Her eyes were too drawn to the bear's hands...

...because it was carrying several severed heads. Kaede, Gonta, Kokichi, Rantarou, Korekiyo, Tomoyo, Shuuichi's...

And, like some sort of disgusting helmet, it wore Yukizome Chisa's as a hat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> next chapter is our first free time eventttt!!!!!!! woooo  
ibuki still has exactly one pre-gremlin event! which means hiyoko isnt tagging along but she WILL.


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> please check out these awesome sprite edits made by [gargling-through-the-memes](https://gargling-through-the-memes.tumblr.com/) on tumblr!
> 
> <https://rainbow-unicorn-banzai-party.tumblr.com/post/186967840730/ok-so-i-got-really-bored-and-made-a-sprite-edit>
> 
> <https://rainbow-unicorn-banzai-party.tumblr.com/post/186981991290/hi-i-made-another-sprite-edit-thats-kayayday>

Ibuki kicked at the sand as she walked on the beach at night.

Her thoughts were jumbled and jambled and tangled and fucked up. Jumping from the bear to the heads to the killing game to the current moments hurt _her_ head.

So, Ibuki walked. She wandered over the islands, hoping no one was out there.

It was stupid.

It was crazy.

Someone could kill her. 

But sitting still in her room with those kinds of thoughts in her head... would be way worse.

They explored the islands before, trying to find any way off, but... nope. No way.

Ibuki walked until she hit solid ground, then kept moving.

Her feet, her thoughts, they brought her to the park.

Monokuma had just left the heads there, the disgusting, bloody, gory sight scaring everyone so much, they couldn't bear to stay there... 

...was what Ibuki thought, until she found someone, bent over in the dirt...

"...huh?" Ibuki let the word slip out without thinking.

"Have you come to kill me?" her nameless classmate replied, not turning around.

"No, no!" Ibuki exclaimed instantly. "I... couldn't sleep. Not like this."

"I don't think anyone can," they replied.

"What are you doing?" Ibuki asked, carefully stepping closer in the dark.

"Are you sure? I could have been making preparations to kill you."

"Then, I suppose it's Ibuki's fault for trusting you," Ibuki replied with a sad smile, kneeling next to them.

The other living person there was silent for a moment, before saying, "I'm burying them. They deserve better than to be treated as some sort of twisted accessory."

Looking closer, Ibuki could see sticks poking out of the dirt, improvised grave markers.

"...you're a good person," Ibuki stated, her smile growing warm.

"I'm not much of one," they replied. "It would have been better if someone without family or friends like me were to—"

"Don't say that!" Ibuki interjected. "It's a lie."

"What?"

"Ibuki thought of you as a friend," she said. "And if we weren't friends before, then this friendship moment is enough for us to be friends now, right?"

"I see. So that's what you think."

They let out a sigh, continuing to work. They carefully placed Yukizome Chisa's head into the shallow grave...

"Yukizome-sensei... it would have been nice if we could have spent a full school year together. With you, and all our upperclassmen..." Ibuki mused as the other began to bury their teacher...

"There's no point in what-ifs or if-thens," the other replied. "All we can do now is keep that bear from winning. Keep all of our classmates from murdering each other."

"Yeah! We're all friends, so we won't fall that easily!" Ibuki cheered.

"Mioda-san," Ibuki's nameless classmate called out. "Would you like to work with me?"

Ibuki paused, as the gravedigger rose from the ground and held out a dirt-covered hand to her.

"In order to keep our classmates together and smiling... will you help me?"

Ibuki grinned.

"Of course!" she cried out, pulling her kind-hearted classmate into a hug.

**Received a Hope Fragment!**

* * *

**FREE TIME START!**

* * *

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(The most important thing is to figure out the most distrusting people in the class and drag them into our party plan before it separates into **smaller groups**.)_

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(I'm already a bit close with **Gundham-chan**, so he shouldn't be a problem... but, aside from that, the problem people are **Hiyoko-chan**, **Fuyuhiko-chan**, and **Nagito-chan**.)_

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(But before I can do that...)_

**Mioda Ibuki: **Hey, Akane-chan, the food... it was so good, right!?

**Owari Akane: **Yeah...! If I can keep eatin' this each day, staying here might not be so bad!

**Mioda Ibuki: **Ibuki heard that the person who made the food was Teruteru-chan... maybe you should repay him by dragging him into training with you and Neko-chan!

**Owari Akane: **Hmm... not a bad idea! Thanks, Mioda!

**Mioda Ibuki: **Ehehe! No prob!

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(Yep, it's time to help **everyone else** become friends first!)_

* * *

**Nanami Chiaki: **Huh...? Is this game console broken?

**???: **Souda-kun, weren't you in the robotics club at school?

**Souda Kazuichi: **For all of two days, yeah.

**Souda Kazuichi: **But it looks like the only problem here is that **a part got loose**. If I had a screwdriver, I could fix it up in no time!

**Hinata Hajime: **Mioda was talking about how she found weird things at the supermarket, like screwdrivers and flashlights... maybe there's still some left.

**Nanami Chiaki: **And then we could have a little game tournament. 2 vs 2.

**???: **I'm included in this?

**Nanami Chiaki: **Of course. You're part of our class, after all.

**???: **I see. I will do my best then.

* * *

**Tsumiki Mikan: **Kuzuryuu-san... um.

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **What?

**Tsumiki Mikan: **I-I just want to say... it's okay i-if you want to k-keep using me.

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **What?!

**Tsumiki Mikan: **To, to avoid people, I mean! I noticed that... you spend t-time with me to keep other people away...

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **...so you did, huh. 

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **I thought it was fine if you didn't notice...

**Tsumiki Mikan: **It's still fine. Kuzuryuu-san, y-you can use me as much as want, or even h-hurt me... because you're the only one t-to willingly spend time with me.

**Kuzuyruu Fuyuhiko: **What the hell—!?

**Tsumiki Mikan: **I mean, before, p-people would only pay attention t-to me if they wanted to throw water on me or u-use me as entertainment, you know! Compared to that, b-being used as a shield is heaven...!

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **Seriously, the hell...!? That's psychological torture I'd use on _traitors_. The fuck did a normal girl like you go through...?

**Tsumiki Mikan: **It's fine. I'm u-used to it.

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **How is this in any way fine, dumbass?! 

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **Shit... have I seriously sunken this low...? Using a shield like this is a coward's move. 

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **...I've been unfair not just to you, but to...

**Tsumiki Mikan: **H-hyaaaah?! You're, you don't need me anymore?!

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **You deserve better, don't you?! It's my fault for choosing such a cowardly tactic! Hang out with the others and make some real friends, goddammit!

**Tsumiki Mikan: **B-bwahhhhh...!!! Please, n-no...! I'll take it off, I'll l-let you humiliate me, so—

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **Shut the fuck up about that!

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **If we're going to actually hang out sometimes, I won't tolerate talk like that! I might be yakuza, but even I won't sink that low!

**Tsumiki Mikan: **...eh...? We're... still going to be...

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **It was real shitty of me to use you as a shield in the first place. Least I could do is make sure you won't be alone.

**Tsumiki Mikan: **K-Kuzuryuu-san...!!!!

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **Just so you know, this is temporary! Until you make other friends, you hear me?!

**Tsumiki Mikan: **Uwaaaaaaah——! I'm so happy!!!

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(Hehehe, nice! You don't even need my help! Get along great!)_

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(And, if it's like this, all we have to do to drag Fuyu-chan into the party is make Mikan-chan come! He'll tag along as her friendship coach!)_

* * *

**Mioda Ibuki:** _(Wait....Did I hear that right?)_

**Mioda Ibuki: **Peko-chan... you said you were suffering from... **Fluffy cravings**, right?

**Pekoyama Peko:** Yes... unfortunately. I cannot pet animals, as they fear me...

**Mioda Ibuki: **How sad...! How tragic!

**Mioda Ibuki: **Oh, by the way, Gundham-chan is right over there.

**Pekoyama Peko: **!

**Mioda Ibuki: **You know what to do.

**Pekoyama Peko: **Yes...!

**Peko grins like a maniac.**

**Mioda Ibuki: **ATTAAAAAAAAAAACK!!!!!!!!!!!

**Peko charges at Gundham!**

**Gundham senses the attack, dodging in an instant!**

**Koizumi Mahiru: **Hey! What's going on here!?

**Sonia Nevermind: **It can't be... not a murder!?

**Mioda Ibuki: **Nope! It's just the opening to the first Tanaka-chan petting zoo!

**Koizumi Mahiru: **What?

**Mioda Ibuki: **If you win a hit on Gundham-chan, it's a pass for a few minutes of petting the hamsters... those are the rules!

**Koizumi Mahiru: **But, won't he die? If not from a bamboo sword, then from moving around in all black and a scarf like that on an island...

**Mioda Ibuki: **That's why... Peko-chan only has **fifteen seconds left**.

**Peko flinches at the words.**

**Sonia Nevermind: **Pekoyama-san... I believe in you! Keep fighting!

**Tanaka Gundham: **Tch—! I will not allow such a base form to touch my accursed being...!

**Koizumi Mahiru: **If everyone is having fun, it's fine, I suppose...

**Mahiru and Sonia cheer for Peko. **

**They all get to pet the hamsters together while Gundham rests.**

* * *

**Ibuki finds Nagito in his cabin, where they left him.**

**Komaeda Nagito: **Mioda-san?

**Mioda Ibuki: **Yoohoo! Nagito-chan! Be my friend!

**Komaeda Nagito: **...friends? You want to be friends with _me?_

**Mioda Ibuki: **Yep.

**Komaeda Nagito: **I'm not interested in hopeless trash like you.

**Mioda Ibuki: **I've got hope! My hope is to be friends with you!

**Komaeda Nagito: **Tell me... how does that measly hope compare to the hope of someone with _real_ value? Someone with worth, who can change the world...

**Mioda Ibuki: **How should I know? I don't understand what you're talking about at all.

**Nagito sighs. **

**Komaeda Nagito: **You can't get such a simple concept? Fine, I'll explain.

**Komaeda Nagito: **Think about it like learning to ride a bike. You fall, over and over again, but at the end, all your failures, all your pain, it leads to the happiness of succeeding, doesn't it?

**Mioda Ibuki: **Yeah.

**Komaeda Nagito: **That feeling... is **hope**.

**Komaeda Nagito: **The feeling that emerges and grows bigger when you triumph over despair... it's beautiful.

**Komaeda Nagito: **Worthless people like you and me, we can only watch as true hope emerges... if I could contribute in _any way_, that would be a dream higher than the heavens...

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(The thing is... the words he's saying...)_

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(They **almost** make sense. I can **almost** follow his logic.)_

**Mioda Ibuki: **Hey, Nagito-chan. 

**Komaeda Nagito: **What.

**Mioda Ibuki: **Ibuki thinks she might understand, but maybe not... but the question is, what makes us worthless?

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(That's the key question here.)_

**Komaeda Nagito: **We weren't born as symbols of hope. We don't have any sort of talent that can touch the world.

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(So, talent is something you're born with? But... you realize that even prodigies practice their skills, right?)_

**Mioda Ibuki: **I see, I see... (I think)

**Mioda Ibuki: **Then, why don't we watch it together? Hope emerging.

**Komaeda Nagito: **Are you serious?

**Mioda Ibuki: **Yep, yep! Ibuki's serious! She thinks it might be pretty too. The hope of us overcoming this situation...

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(I mean, they're the words you want to hear, right? If I say this, you can join the group safely—)_

**Komaeda Nagito: **Ah, how wonderful! 

**Komaeda Nagito: **Then, would you like to kill me? Or should I kill you? Though, the latter _may_ be difficult...

**Mioda Ibuki: **Eh?

**Komaeda Nagito: **The hope that emerges from overcoming the despair of our moodmaker, becoming victim to this game... it won't be anything grand, but it'll be beautiful compared to the despair we see around here! 

**Mioda Ibuki: **...

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(He's... he's not just weird... he's **insane**...! He's dangerous!)_

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(But... if I don't keep him in line, **who will**?)_

**Mioda Ibuki: **No way, it's too easy! I wanna see what happens!

**Komaeda Nagito: **I see... then, just a few days. 

**Komaeda Nagito: **I'll let you decide which way one of us will die, Mioda-san!

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(I've done something dangerous... someone, please, just help me!)_

**Received a Hope Fragment...**

* * *

"Hiyoko-chan! Open up!"

That was the only warning Hiyoko got before Ibuki climbed in through the cabin window.

"What are you doing?! Kidnapping?! Murder?!" Hiyoko demanded, hiding away in the furthest corner of the room.

"Bathing," Ibuki answered. "You can't do it yourself, but it's bad if you're stinky. Come on."

"You broke in for that?!"

"You locked the front door," Ibuki replied.

"Why should I come with you?!" Hiyoko asked fearfully.

Ibuki figured something like this would happen, so she did the logical thing and pulled out a weapon.

Hiyoko screamed, but Ibuki set the knife on the floor and slid it over to Hiyoko on her side of the cabin.

"If you feel threatened, you can stab me, like kersplat, shank, stab!" Ibuki announced. "Or, splat, splat, schtick...?"

"Who cares about that?!" Hiyoko demanded. "What are you doing?!"

"I want Hiyo-chan to trust people," Ibuki declared. "That's why, I'll start by trusting you."

Hiyoko's eyes were wide as Ibuki smiled.

"If both of us come back alive... then that's a good first step, right? Come on, let's go take a bath!"

Hiyoko was stunned into silence by those words. 

So stunned, she just... ignored the knife entirely as she walked over.

"If you do anything funny, I'll scream," Hiyoko warned the other girl.

"Yep, yep," Ibuki replied, hopping out through the window.

"I could have opened the front door!" Hiyoko screamed. "Dumbass!"

"Aw, c'mon! It's no fun like that!" Ibuki replied. "Climb out! I'll help you!"

"I'm going through the front door!" Hiyoko exclaimed, glaring at Ibuki.

Ibuki stared back, saying, "staaaaaaaaare..."

"Saying sound effects out loud won't convince me," Hiyoko retorted.

"Will you do it to make me shut up?" Ibuki asked.

Hiyoko paused.

Ibuki began to scream about mushrooms and rabbits, so Hiyoko just sighed.

"Fine! Fine, shut up!"

"Hehehehehe!"

Hiyoko took Ibuki's hand and climbed out the window...

"We're not going to take a bath together," Hiyoko insisted. "You just help me take off the kimono and put it back on. That's all."

"'kaaaaay," Ibuki replied happily.

"And let go of my hand already!" Hiyoko ordered. 

"Nope!" Ibuki replied with a wink. "I abso-gotta make sure to hold a cute girl's hand at least once a day!"

Hiyoko... had no idea how to reply to that, so she just glared at Ibuki. Ibuki turned around and laughed, just in time to avoid seeing Hiyoko's cheeks flush.

**Received a Hope Fragment!**

* * *

After Ibuki left, Nagito had been left in his empty cabin...

"Wow, what a dark and dismal cottage! Couldn't you toss a few lewd pics around to brighten things up?" 

"Why did you come here?" Nagito asked, eyeing the bear from his bed.

"It's boring if one of our would-be murderers had such devastating injuries..." Monokuma said. "So it's time for Monokuma's emergency care!"

With a wave of a hand, sparkles appeared, making Nagito's bandages vanish.

Monokuma disappeared, letting Nagito remember how to move again.

"Would-be murderer... really now. It's not like I _like_ killing people," he said to himself, opening and closing his left hand. "I just want to see hope emerge."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> basically, how it works is that hiyoko will sometimes hang out with ibuki, letting ibuki have both the one one-on-one fte and the post-gremlin ftes!  
so, yeah, there is one (1) fte chapter left before party! some ftes, like hiyokos, automatically go up with story events  
SO YEAH SORRY PA2, MAHIRU IS NEXT TIME


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> every day, i must devote exactly 3 minutes and 33 seconds to performing the ouma ritual. bad things happen when i forget to do the ritual. sometimes, the means to do the ritual appear on their own, without me preparing them. sometimes, the ritual appears to begin to do itself.  
i do not remember why i started doing this. but i know his demands. he demands that i create more oumaede. i do not know what will happen if i stop writing. i do not know what i will become when i stop. i do not know what will happen when this tale concludes.  
so yeah that's happening i suppose

"Okay, I _think_ I might have an idea, but it's risky," Miu spoke up.

Ryoma, Tenko, and Kiibo had called some of the others over, having decided to find a way to restore the simulation's surveillance in order to fix the entire situation. Kyouko had gone to report the situation to Makoto, Miaya, and the Future Foundation's tech team.

In total, the people there were Ryoma, Tenko, Kiibo, Miu, Kirumi, and Gonta.

And Tsumugi, of course. Gonta and Tenko went to pick her up.

She was away from the group, flanked by the two as the others discussed their options.

"What is it?" Kiibo asked.

"There's only fifteen pods being used," Miu said. "If we can hijack one, connect it to a camera..."

"But, would that possibly disrupt other pods," Kirumi muttered.

"That's the risk," Miu stated. "I don't know much about this system, so messing around with it, especially when there's people in it, is..."

"Shirogane-san," Gonta called out, startling Tsumugi. "Do you know anything?"

Tsumugi hesitated.

She hesitated for so long, Tenko sighed. So long, Kirumi's expression soured. So long, Kiibo and Ryoma turned back towards their discussion.

But, Miu's eyes stayed on Tsumugi.

And suddenly, Tsumugi remembered.

_'If things were different,' _she had said.

_'Hey, wait, what's the point of saying that?'_ she wondered. _'Does it change that I've hurt them? Does it change that I've been trying so hard to be a despair, all to make them look at me, to become someone important? Someone visible?'_

As Miu diverted her eyes, Tsumugi realized it.

_'No... saying that doesn't change a thing. It just lets me pretend I didn't have a choice. But I did.'_

She looked at the group from the outside, like she had done with countless groups countless times before.

_'The reason I'm alone is because of my own choices.'_

Staring at googles atop messy hair, she wondered.

_'Then, if I made different choices, **could I be where you are today?'**_

* * *

**Mioda Ibuki: **Quick question guys, what starts with a "P" and ends with an "-arty"?

**Owari Akane: **Pachinko? 

**Saionji Hiyoko: **How did you manage to fuck up that bad?

**Ibuki told them all about their idea to throw a party...**

**Tsumiki Mikan: **T-that sounds... fun...!

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **I _guess_ I could come.

**Sonia Nevermind: **How exciting!

**It seems to go over well!**

* * *

**Koizumi Mahiru: **This kind of situation... it's hard to stay upbeat. I'm envious, really...

_Spend time with Mahiru-chan?_

_> Yes <_

_> No_

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(I sang a song for Mahiru-chan so she could cheer up!)_

**Mioda Ibuki: **Alright! It's decided!

**Koizumi Mahiru: **What is?

**Mioda Ibuki: **That Mahiru-chan is... dun dun dadaaaaaaa!

**Mioda Ibuki: **Cute!

**Koizumi Mahiru: **Ahaha, are you just acting silly?

**Mioda Ibuki: **Oh _no_, there is nothing silly about this! Mahiru-chan's cuteness is the most serious of the seriousest of things!

**Koizumi Mahiru: **You're really strong. To be able to keep smiling, after all that happened...

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(Operation: Distraction failed! Crap!)_

**Mioda Ibuki: **Well, it would be too sad to just cry. Yukizome-sensei and our upperclassmen... they wanted us to be safe and happy. 

**Mioda Ibuki: **That was important enough to die for. I want to carry on those wishes.

**Koizumi Mahiru: **Ah...

**Koizumi Mahiru: **I seriously thought you were unaffected, but that would be impossible, even for you...

**Mioda Ibuki: **Well, maybe not! It's Mioda Ibuki, you know? The girl of unending smiles in the darkest trials!

**Koizumi Mahiru: **Though, if you ever think it's too much, you can count on me. I'll hear you out, okay?

**Mioda Ibuki: **Thank you, Mahiru-chan!

**Koizumi Mahiru: **Then, it's settled.

**Mioda Ibuki: **What is?

**Koizumi Mahiru: **So I can take pictures Yumeno-senpai would be proud of...I'll keep smiling.

**Koizumi Mahiru: **Thank you for teaching me that.

**Mioda Ibuki: **Don't thank me just yet! This chain's just started, after all! We need to smile together, and send those pictures to her!

**Koizumi Mahiru: **Of course!

**Got a Hope Fragment!**

* * *

**Nidai Nekomaru: **High voltage spirits... go! Let's train until our muscles ache!

_Hang out with Neko-chan?_

_> Yes <_

_> No_

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(Woo! We trained together~!)_

**Mioda Ibuki: **Neko-chan, Neko-chan~!

**Nidai Nekomaru: **Yeah?

**Mioda Ibuki: **We got matching hair! Look! And Neko-chan's got a necklace like Ibuki's! 

**Nidai Nekomaru: **Yeah, I suppose so! 

**Nidai Nekomaru: **Though, I wouldn't call us similar in looks, really...

**Mioda Ibuki: **Aw, really?

**Nidai Nekomaru: **I mean, look! The difference between our heights! And our physiques!

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(Neko-chan shows me his biceps. I join him!)_

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(Wheee, posing together is fun!)_

**Nidai Nekomaru: **Hm.

**Mioda Ibuki: **Hm?

**Nidai Nekomaru: **Simply put, you might have promise as an athlete.

**Nidai Nekomaru: **I can tell you've got the **energy** to make it work. On top of that, you demonstrate good breath control, which is vital for all sports.

**Mioda Ibuki: **Gasp, really?! Has Ibuki's true potential come to light?!

**Nidai Nekomaru: **Of course, it would take time, effort, and patience to develop as an athlete. I could train you, if you'd like.

**Mioda Ibuki: **Sure! That sounds like fun!

**Nidai Nekomaru: **Then it's settled! YOU WILL BE MY NEW STUDENTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT!

**Mioda Ibuki:** HELL YEAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

**Got a Hope Fragment!**

* * *

**Sonia Nevermind: **To be trapped here...

_Spend time with Sonia-chan?_

_> Yes <_

_> No_

**Mioda Ibuki: **Yo, Sonia-channnnn! Woohoo!

**Sonia Nevermind: **Ah, Mioda-san!

**Sonia Nevermind: **Pardon me for not noticing your presence. I was simply musing on our situation.

**Mioda Ibuki: **So you mused and mused and amusingly, you need a muse?

**Sonia Nevermind: **P-pardon?

**Mioda Ibuki: **Ibuki's totally willing to play the part of the musical muse here for stepping into your shoes! Ibuki will listen to any worries or fears you have!

**Sonia Nevermind: **Ah, so that is what you meant.

**Sonia Nevermind: **Though, I imagine my worries and fears are not much different from those any other person would have in this situation. Never being able to return home, to your family, and such...

**Mioda Ibuki: **But, there's nothing else? Nothing at all?

**Sonia Nevermind: **...

**Sonia Nevermind: **...well, I do think there might be one thing.

**Mioda Ibuki: **Then, Ibuki'll hear all about it if you want!

**Sonia Nevermind: **I don't mean to sound accusatory, but... why would you do such a thing?

**Mioda Ibuki: **Because we're friends!

**Sonia Nevermind: **So, confiding in one another is what friends... do?

**Mioda Ibuki: **Do you not know what friends do?

**Sonia Nevermind: **I've never had much experience with human relationships out of diplomacy, especially not on the level of commoners...

**Mioda Ibuki: **Then, let's t-t-t-t-teach you! Ya hear?

**Sonia Nevermind: **I would not mind that in the slightest!

**Received a Hope Fragment!**

* * *

**Hinata Hajime: **A party...

_Hang out with Hinahina-chan?_

_> Yes <_

_> No_

**Saionji Hiyoko: **Huh? What's going on here?

**Mioda Ibuki: **Hey! Let's all hang out together!

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(Before the two of them can protest, I drag them with me!)_

**Mioda Ibuki: **How about tag? Or swimming, or reading, or cooking, or anything?!

**Hinata Hajime: **Huh... you want to play around?

**Saionji Hiyoko: **What a waste of time.

**Mioda Ibuki: **It's not a waste! 

**Mioda Ibuki: **Geez, I take the two grumpiest-pantses to ever pants out to have fun, and you don't even unpants long enough to enjoy it!

**Hinata Hajime: **Grumpy... what?

**Saionji Hiyoko: **You're putting me in the same category as _this_ loser?

**Mioda Ibuki: **Nope nope nope, shush shush shush, Ibuki's tellin' you!

**Mioda Ibuki: **If you're frowning and crying and distrusting and hating... it'll kill ya!

**Saionji Hiyoko: **I'm tempted to kill ya just for making me do this...

**Hinata Hajime: **Don't say stuff like that.

**Mioda Ibuki: **Well, you're not allowed to kill people, so can you settle for making Ibuki cry~?

**Saionji Hiyoko: **Urgh, gross! Don't bat your eyelashes at me! Who do you think you are, a model?!

**Hinata Hajime: **Model...

**Mioda Ibuki: **Oh, don't be so unbearable! I'm cute! Cute! Plenty cute!

**Hinata Hajime: **Unbearable...

**Saionji Hiyoko: **You sure have a talent for pissing me off, don't you?!

**Hinata Hajime: **Talent...!

**Saionji Hiyoko: **What the hell are you doing!? Why do you keep repeating words we say, you fucking parrot?!

**Hinata Hajime: **No, feel free to continue. I'm just trying to figure out what's going on with my memories.

**Mioda Ibuki: **Memories?

**Hinata Hajime: **Yeah... turns out, there are a lot of areas where my memory is **fuzzy** or **weird**...

**Saionji Hiyoko: **Or you just bonked your head too hard on the way down from the door.

**Hinata Hajime: **Maybe, but... it's still bothering me.

**Mioda Ibuki: **Then, let's go ahead! _'Operation: Help Hajimajime-chan recover those daunting lost memories'_ is a gogo!

**Saionji Hiyoko: **What stupid things are you going on about this time, idiot?

**Mioda Ibuki: **I'll grab you candies from the supermarket if you help me.

**Saionji Hiyoko: **...only if they're lemon.

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(We keep throwing out random words to see if Hajime-chan can remember anything about them... but we don't that many hits.)_

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _('Model', 'unbearable', 'talent', 'hope', 'despair', 'liar', 'actress', 'wig'... what do these words have in common?)_

**Got a Hope Fragment!**

* * *

...

"There's a knife missing..." Nagito muttered to himself, looking through the kitchen. "Then, Mioda-san might've been right to say we should wait. There's a chance someone else has already made plans for tomorrow..."

He smiled to himself in the empty room.

"I wonder... how much hope could possibly emerge from this talentless bunch's despair?"

The knife set on top of Hiyoko's bookshelf sat still, perfectly untouched as Nagito laughed...


	16. Chapter 16

**???: **Food.

**Hanamura Teruteru: **Check!

**???: **Music.

**Mioda Ibuki: **Check!

**???: **Cleaning.

**Nanami Chiaki: **Yep.

**???: **Photos.

**Koizumi Mahiru: **Got it.

**???: **Taking care of Komaeda's injuries?

**Tsumiki Mikan: **P-please, leave it to me...!

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **Yeah, we'll do it, I guess...

**Nagito smiles.**

**Komaeda Nagito: **It seems like it will be an enjoyable party!

* * *

First of all, Nagito's bandages were just thrown back on to preserve his facade. He continued to act frail and defenceless as Mikan and Fuyuhiko helped him around.

Mikan brought him to her cottage, where she had a collection of various medications. Nagito went back with a bottle of painkillers in his hoodie pocket.

Secondly, stuff happened, and then Ibuki helped her nameless classmate find stuff like night-vision goggles and a good case.

At the party, Ibuki acted as a doorman, just like her classmate, though she was in charge of the girls.

It was... difficult...

Sonia and Peko complied easily, but... Akane got restless and kept moving around, which made things awkward. Mikan almost started crying, which made Fuyuhiko yell at her. Chiaki fell asleep on her. Mahiru went completely soulless after a careless remark from Teruteru on how the other girls had a lot to pat on the chest, but Mahiru...

And then Hiyoko came, and blushed, and yelled at Ibuki, and blushed, and yelled, and ran away.

Ibuki had no idea what to make of that, but she dragged Hiyoko back to the party with a smile.

There was good food, good company, and Ibuki got to drag everyone outside for a dance. 

She stayed on one side of the pool, letting the distance trick her into thinking there was a stage between her and the others. Some lounged on the pool chairs they had moved over, while some were on their feet and ready to dance.

Hiyoko had a small grin on her face as Ibuki began to speak.

"For all the friends we've lost, for Yukizome-sensei!" Ibuki screamed, one hand holding her guitar, the other in the air, greeting the crowd! "For all the fun times we couldn't have... we will live on and smile as one!"

Her song reverberated in the open air, reaching everyone's hearts. The stars and moon acted as her spotlights, as she proudly poured her heart into singing a song of hope and mourning.

She saw a flutter of movement in the night air, opening her eyes just enough to see people dancing.

Ibuki hadn't had the ability to get a speaker or a mic for her performance, depending solely on the acoustics of the area to help her along.

Well, the inability to absolutely deafen everyone, the open-air venue, and the water between her and the crowd, it all combined to make a song everyone could enjoy together.

Hiyoko stood in the middle of the crowd, the others unable to get close to her passionate dancing. With twin fans in hand, her movements were so beautiful...

Ibuki and Hiyoko's eyes met in that instant, causing Ibuki's voice to strain a note the tiniest bit.

Ibuki kept playing, kept singing, but she couldn't tear her eyes away. It was like everyone else knew that their dancing couldn't measure up to Hiyoko's, so they faded into the background while Hiyoko took centerstage...

But Ibuki kept playing. When the song ended, she played another, and another, until Hiyoko was the only one with the stamina to keep dancing. The others kept chatting, Sonia having fun with Gundham, Kazuichi chattering with Hajime and Chiaki, Peko thanking their nameless classmate for the party, Fuyuhiko making sure Mikan didn't fall as Nagito laughed, Teruteru handing more food to Akane, Nekomaru, and Mahiru...

It was fun. It was beautiful.

Everything needed to come to an end one day, though. Even the night's reign.

With a bright smile on her face, Ibuki cried out, "Good night, everybody! Thanks for the swell time!"

"Good night!" the others screamed in response.

It was a picture perfect party, if Ibuki said so herself!

The others woke up the next morning feeling refreshed and happy, even the grumpybutts. It looked like it would be another fun day of free time!

* * *

"...I don't understand, though," Tsumugi said softly.

"Huh?" Gonta was the only one to hear her, as the others had went to help Miu with her idea.

"There are things memory erasure can't erase," she explained. "Love, hatred, despair, hope..." she thought of the **glitch** that ruined her first attempt... "Even if you erase the memories leading up to them, they won't go away. They'll just be harder to find and easier to erase."

Gonta... really didn't get it.

"Sending robots into the school, killing many students, there's no doubt that it would cause **despair** amongst the survivors," Tsumugi stated. "That despair will **make it easier** for them to remember **being** despairs."

"Then, it's easier for everyone to remember...? Is this Kamukura's game?" Gonta asked.

"But Kamukura never had any strong feelings towards despair, good or bad," Tsumugi recalled. "Even if he feels despair, he won't be more inclined to remember anything... the others are the only ones affected by this, so why...?"


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm taking applications for a kaede ritual. needs to be exactly 3:33 long. preferably no v3 spoilers. doll not needed but appreciated. any music fine as long as it's good.

**Nanami Chiaki: **Sleepy...

_Spend time with Chiaki-chan?_

_> Yes <_

_> No_

**Mioda Ibuki: **Then, let me wake you up!!!!

**Nanami Chiaki: **Hm? If you think you can, I suppose...

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(Time for a little... tickling~!)_

**...**

**...**

**...**

**Nanami Chiaki: **Hm?

**Mioda Ibuki: **What?! How does Chi-chan not react to the almighty tickling technique?! Are you a robot!?

**Nanami Chiaki: **No, not really... I think.

**Mioda Ibuki: **Whaaaaaaat?! You only think?!

**Nanami Chiaki: **Well, if I were a robot, I could play games easier, and not sleep. 

**Mioda Ibuki: **But, you do sleep, so you can't really say you're a robot, right?

**Nanami Chiaki: **Yeah.

**Mioda Ibuki: **How come you're so sleepy, though? Can't sleep from this situation?

**Nanami Chiaki: **Hmm, don't think so.

**Nanami Chiaki: **Sleeping and dreaming... it's a way of **processing data** your brain's collected, isn't it? I sleep whenever my brain's overloaded on info...

**Mioda Ibuki: **So, if there were some other method of figuring out your thoughts, you would be less sleepy?

**Nanami Chiaki: **Like backing up your files on another device?

**Mioda Ibuki: **Ibuki isn't too sure about tech, but sure! Like that!

**Mioda Ibuki: **Let's brainstorm methods to keep Chi-chan awake and active a lot more! I can't hang out with you if you're always napping!

**Nanami Chiaki: **Yeah, alright. Let's do that.

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(We think up a few methods, but to putting them to the test might be hard without a **third person to watch**...)_

**Received a Hope Fragment!**

* * *

**Tsumiki Mikan: **That was the first party I-I've ever been invited to...!

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **Why are you still hanging out with me, then? Go talk to the others more.

**Tsumiki Mikan: **B-b-but...!

_Hang out with Mikan-chan and Fuyu-chan?_

_> Yes! <_

_> Nah..._

**Mioda Ibuki: **Yahoo, you two! Wanna join Ibuki's crew?

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **Go ahead. Take her.

**Tsumiki Mikan: **B-b-b-bwuuuuaaaaaaa—!?

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(Hm, Mikan-chan seems like she'd be scared without her **anchor **there, but Fuyu-chan is determined to **push her onto someone else**...)_

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(Then, like this!)_

**Mioda Ibuki: **Ibuki's allergic to groups smaller than three! If you leave, she'll die! 

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **What sort of bullshit—

**Tsumiki Mikan: **What are you... doing?

**Mioda Ibuki: **Tell me! Fuyu-chan, your goal with Mikan-chan is...?

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **I'm making sure she can get along with the other kids in this class. Nothing more, nothing less.

**Mioda Ibuki: **And, Mikan-chan, what do you want?

**Tsumiki Mikan: **I... it's enough that Kuzuryuu-san is thinking of me that much, I-I couldn't possibly ask him to l-like me and spend time with me willingly on top of that...

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **Shut up about that! You shouldn't want to hang out with a guy like me in the first place! We're from completely different worlds, got it?!

**Mioda Ibuki: **So basically, both of you want to be friends, but Fuyu-chan doesn't think he deserves to be your friend because Yakuza so he pushes you at other people and Mikan-chan doesn't think she deserves to be _your_ friend because shy, so she's okay with you just straight-up abandoning her one day.

**Tsumiki Mikan: **...

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **...

**Mioda Ibuki: **Both of you... are not at all used to having someone talk to you as an **equal**, are you?

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **...!

**Tsumiki Mikan: **Mmnrgh...

**Mioda Ibuki: **Don't worry! Ibuki's willing to help! In helping Mikan-chan make friends, in helping the two of you be friends...

**Mioda Ibuki: **C'mon! Let's do our best!

**Ibuki joined their team!**

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(I tried to help Mikan-chan practice a normal conversation, but she panicked. Fuyu-chan wasn't much help. I don't think either of them had a normal conversation before, actually...)_

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(How do I help them...?)_

**Received Hope Fragment x 2!**

* * *

**Koizumi Mahiru: **Hey there! 

**Mioda Ibuki: **Mahiru-cha~a~an!

**Hiyoko appeared!**

**Saionji Hiyoko: **You guys have sure gotten chummy over the past few days. What, are you our next budding couple?

**Mioda Ibuki: **Wanna join in?

**Saionji Hiyoko: **E-eh?

**Koizumi Mahiru: **I don't mind. In fact...

**Mahiru pulls out a magazine!**

**Koizumi Mahiru: **Hinata gave me _this,_ so I was planning on hosting an all-girls baking session! Want to come?

_> HELL YEAH! <_

_> Heck no!_

**Mioda Ibuki: **Hell yeah! Let's go for it!

* * *

"Let's hurry up and connect this!" Miu screamed, bringing in the camera she had made with Monaka and Kiibo. 

Tsumugi moved without thinking.

Tapping out a code on the pod, she caused it to open wide.

"Hey!" Tenko screamed. "What are you doing?! Don't make anything worse than it is!"

"I'm _helping_," Tsumugi shot back. "Even if you plug in a computer, it won't do anything unless it is considered an avatar. It won't be an avatar unless it's got an AI or there's something in the pod."

"Couldn't you have said that _before_ they made a camera device?" Korekiyo asked.

"Guys, it's enough that she wants to help at all," Miu interjected. "It's way better than trying to kill us, right?"

"Gonta supposes so..."

"So, if we were to put, say, a vaguely human-shaped arrangement of bags and blankets..." Kiibo offered.

"It would count as an avatar," Tsumugi stated. You could hook the computer up to the pod and control the thing into being your first person camera.

"Let's do it," Miu decided.

The others went to work gathering their fake human, until it was all ready...

"Remember," Tsumugi said as they waited for the system to load. "The simulation is faster than real life. It's possible several days have passed in-game."

"How bad could it be?" Miu asked, just as the screen loaded fully.

* * *

**Monokuma: **Man, your first class trial, and you already fucked it up this bad!

**Hinata Hajime: **What?

**Tsumiki Mikan: **I, I _told_ you... I w-wasn't the killer! I _told you_, but no one b-b-believed me! 

**Tsumiki Mikan: **You doubted m-me and didn't listen... and now, we're all—!

**Monokuma: **Yup! You're all going to die! With the exception of the blackened, everyone... will be **executed**!

**Nanami Chiaki: **No...! **_No!_**

**Nanami Chiaki: **I won't let this happen! **I will protect them!**

**Time stopped.**

**The display began to warp and crack...**

**Until the screen glitched back to a few minutes before the victim's death!**

* * *

"It's always been a dream of Ibuki's to make a cookie statue of her boobs!"

"What a weirdo!" Hiyoko exclaimed while laughing.

"This... this is fun!" Mikan exclaimed nervously.

"I never would have thought I'd get to participate in such a fun activity with others," Peko said.

"Here, Monomi-chan," Chiaki said, handing the rabbit the burnt biscuits of the batch. "Since you wanted to help dispose of the bad ones..."

"Thank you!" the rabbit replied, eating them.

"Eh... I thought you would throw them out. Well, okay, I think?"

"These cookies are great!" Akane declared happily. "When can I eat the rest!?"

"It's the rule of the kitchen that the people who made it get the first bite!" Mahiru retorted. 

"Yes..." Sonia said with a smile, looking down on the strawberry pie she and Chiaki had made. "It's my first time making such a dessert. I'm curious as to how it turned out."

"I'm sure it tastes great!" Akane exclaimed. "In fact, I'll test it for you!"

"No!" Mahiru rebuked Akane's advances towards the dessert!

"I think it's cool enough to eat, actually," Chiaki noted, smiling at Sonia. "Since it's your first time, why don't you take the first slice?"

"I'd be glad to!"

Sonia cut herself a slice, eating it eagerly.

The others waited for her reaction.

She licked her lips, letting the taste kick in...

"It tastes... peculiar, though that might be my inexperience," Sonia said as she reached for another slice. "A sweet, tarty flavour, with an odd, almost alcoholic scent, yet undeniably fruity... is this the existence known as a pie?"

"Huh? What's with all these big words?" Akane asked. 

"I think it might grow on me!" Sonia announced happily, before she** began to cough**.

"Did it go down the wrong pipe?" Hiyoko asked.

"Please, keep coughing!" Mikan encouraged her. "You can still cough, so it's not a total blockage—"

Sonia kept coughing, blood spilling out...!

Sonia collapsed...!

Mikan tried to intervene, but... mind addled with panic, with no knowledge of the situation, no idea what potential solution could be a potential killer, she couldn't save her...!

With a mocking laugh, an announcement played...

**"A body has been discovered!"**


	18. Chapter 18

"Don't touch any of the ingredients!" Chiaki ordered, the first to recover in the terrifying situation. "Tsumiki-san, look over Nevermind-san's body. Everyone else, please watch, so we can know nothing went wrong!"

The other girls snapped to attention, Mikan nervously checking over Sonia's body.

Chiaki handed Mikan her techpad, having opened it to a _'Monokuma File_' with info on the crime...

"I don't understand..." Mikan muttered, looking from the file to Sonia's body. "This isn't consistent with what would normally happen from an **overdose of painkillers**..."

_'Chiaki-chan must have a good head on her shoulders, to stay so calm and know what to do in this kind of situation,' _Ibuki thought, before becoming determined. _'If I can help, then maybe I can set everyone's mind at ease!'_

"Chiaki-chan. What can I do?" Ibuki asked.

Chiaki thought things over, before directing them easily.

"Check the kitchen," Chiaki ordered Mahiru and Akane. "Don't let a single thing escape your attention." She turned to Peko. "Tell the boys what happened." Turning to Hiyoko, she said, "check any of the ingredients here for something strange," then, to Ibuki...

"Use your Techpad's notebook function. Write down everything you remember about **what you heard **this session," Chiaki declared. "It's something only you can do."

The others got to work, so Ibuki did her best.

_'Hinata-kun will find the empty pill bottle in the pool,' _Chiaki recalled. _'That, combined with Mioda-san's memory, will trick everyone into thinking it could only be **Tsumiki-san**...'_

She let out a shudder at the thought.

_'No. I can't let them get it wrong again. I'll **protect them**!'_

Ibuki began to write.

* * *

**Owari Akane: **Heard there'd be food!

**Koizumi Mahiru: **Not yet! We have to make it first!

**Owari Akane: **Dammit... why? Wouldn't it be easier to just grab food from the supermarket or something?

**Nanami Chiaki: **It's a fun thing, meant to help us bond, I think.

**Saionji Hiyoko: **Well, I _guess_ I can join.

**Mahiru-chan instructed us on how to proceed and the desserts we'd make...**

**But then, Sonia-chan and Chiaki-chan had some trouble.**

**Sonia Nevermind: **It doesn't seem quite right... Is this what we were supposed to do?

**Nanami Chiaki: **We cut up the apples and put them in the pre-made pie crust... What next?

**Tsumiki Mikan: **U-um, maybe **sugar**? You know, to bring out... n-natural sweetness and stuff.

**Sonia Nevermind: **Is that so...? Then, Tsumiki-san, could you please **hand us a bowl of sugar**?

**Tsumiki Mikan: **Of c-course!

**Mikan-chan helped them by pouring a white substance over the pie...**

**Koizumi Mahiru: **Huh? What did you do...? You realize that apple pie needs some sort of **filling**, right? It can't just be dry apples, or it'll just be... dry... apples...

**Koizumi Mahiru: **Here.

**Mahiru-chan took the strawberry jam from the table and spooned some into the pie. **

**Koizumi Mahiru: **This should help!

**Then, Sonia-chan and Chiaki-chan baked it...**

**And then...**

* * *

"That's what I remember," Ibuki concluded, saving her notes as a text file.

Chiaki nodded, before smiling at Ibuki.

"Thank you. This will be vital, I know it!"

Chiaki went over her memories again.

_'The facts don't add up, do they? What else...?' _she thought, biting at her lip anxiously. _'What else can I do to protect them?'_

And then Ibuki spoke up.

"Hey... I only realize it _now_ after writing out my thoughts like this, but," Ibuki paused, voice a bit lost and dazed, "why did Sonia-chan say it **tasted like alcohol**? You don't normally add alcohol to an apple pie, do you?"

Mikan's eyes widened.

"Alcohol--! That's it! Because, the pill listed in the Monokuma File can cause **severe internal bleeding** if mixed with alcohol!"

Hiyoko scrambled to check out her own techpad.

"_'The victim had ingested a mixture containing a lethal dose of Maluspyrus, a commonly-used painkiller,'_" Hiyoko read. "It doesn't say that it was **painkillers alone** that caused her death."

"But, because of how weird it's worded, you might think that it was just mixed with the other stuff in the pie..." Ibuki noted.

Chiaki almost started crying.

_'That's it...! That's _**_it_**_!_ _Everyone, we all thought Tsumiki-san had to be the killer, because she was the source of the pills and she mixed in the sugar, so it could have easily been crushed pills in disguise, but if it was **mixed with alcohol**...! Then it would be impossible for the poison to be the **powdery substance she added**!'_

"We'll find out what happened," Chiaki promised, staring down at Sonia's body. "We'll fight for the **truth** to emerge...!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i dont care for medical inaccuracies. its fine. its a simulation and it let me be dramatic


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ive done it. ive found the other half. i have created the ultimate oumaede ritual.

Everyone's eyes were shaken as they went into the class trial.

Ibuki couldn't stand it.

_'One of our friends, dead before our eyes... the killer amongst us... and we have no choice but to find that killer! To protect everyone, to make sure we can all keep smiling together!'_

"We need to figure out a murder, but... where do we start?" Nagito asked.

"Can we start by laying down exactly what happened?" Nekomaru asked. "We were told that she died after eating a pie at a girls-only baking session, but we **need more details**."

"I was the one who hosted the session," Mahiru said guiltily. "I didn't think it would...!"

"Chiaki-chan and Sonia-chan made the pie together," Ibuki stated. "But they weren't experienced with baking, so Mahiru-chan had to help them, and Mikan-chan had to add sugar to it..."

"Hold on!" Fuyuhiko interjected. "Tsumiki?!"

"Eh? Yeah, it was Mikan-chan," Ibuki replied.

"And the murder weapon was... a bunch of meds, right?!" Fuyuhiko demanded. "Tsumiki! You had a medicine cabinet in your cabin, didn't you?!"

"A-ah, yeah! I d-did—" Mikan's eyes widened. "Are you saying that... that I...?"

"It's an open and shut case, ain't it?" Fuyuhiko retorted. "You're telling me that I'm _not_ supposed to suspect the person with a medicine cabinet and then mixed a substance into the pie the victim ate from?"

"No! N-no, wait, I didn't!" Mikan screamed. "Please, just believe me!"

"How can you ask that, you pig-brained piece of shit?" Hiyoko asked. 

"Hey! Wasn't the murder weapon pills, mixed with alcohol?!" Chiaki interrupted.

"Ehhh, we got that info from Tsumiki!" Hiyoko declared. "How do we know that wasn't a lie!?"

"I believe in Mikan-chan!" Ibuki exclaimed. "So why are we instantly deciding she's the killer?!"

"It's too soon to suddenly declare Tsumiki's the killer, isn't it?" their nameless classmate asked. "Let's go over everything."

"I found an empty bottle of pills in the pool," Hajime stated. "It's marked as belonging to Tsumiki..."

"B-but... the pills u-used... they were the ones I gave Komaeda-san..." Mikan said softly.

"Then, Komaeda would be the killer?" Peko asked, looking over the sickly young man. "But, his injuries seem too severe for him to move at all without assistance..."

"You're saying that, in all those bottles, you couldn't have hidden **one** extra?!" Fuyuhiko demanded. "Don't try and accuse Komaeda!"

"N-n-no!" Mikan screamed, tears beginning to flow down her face.

"It is utter cowardice to pass the blame onto someone who cannot defend himself..." Gundham said.

"If you have any **proof**, then tell us!" Hajime ordered. "I don't want to believe you're guilty, so please—!"

"Stop...! Stop! Please, everyone... stop ganging u-up on me...! I can't...!" Mikan begged through choked sobs.

"I kinda feel bad for you, but..." Kazuichi sighed. "It's our lives on the lines! We can't go easy on you if you're really this suspicious!"

"But, I-I, I _didn't_! Stop it! Why, _why_ is it _always_ me...!?" 

_'No... everyone's going to think she's guilty again!' _Chiaki thought, panicking.

"Didn't you hear Mioda!?" Hiyoko demanded. "You're the one who added the sugar! If you lied to us about the alcohol, then that's an easy way of deflecting the blame off of you!"

"Hey! Guys! Shut the fuck up!" Akane screamed. 

"Komaeda," Mahiru said, coldly staring down the bandaged boy who had been silent ever since starting off the trial. "Hey. If you really can barely move without assistance... why did we find you hiding in the kitchen?"

Chiaki's eyes widened.

_'The first time around, he was found in the lobby... so he was hiding in the kitchen, and ran into the lobby after some time to avoid suspicion?!'_

Nagito began to laugh.

"You... you could _move?" _Fuyuhiko asked in horror.

"I could," Nagito replied.

"The pills I g-gave you—!" Mikan's voice broke. "_What did you do with them?!"_

"I'd assume he used them to poison Nevermind-san..." Teruteru spoke up. 

"We got some of the ingredients from that same kitchen," Mahiru said softly.

"Then! The reason Sonia-chan said that pie tasted **a bit like alcohol**...!" Ibuki said, gasping. "Isn't there cooking alcohol in there?!"

"There is!" Hajime confirmed. "Hanamura wouldn't shut up about the dinner he made last night with some fancy sake!"

"Wow! Hey!" Teruteru protested, only to be ignored.

"In this situation, it's entirely possible that Komaeda could be considered an **equally viable suspect**," their nameless classmate said clearly.

"Then, suspecting Tsumiki...!" Fuyuhiko trailed off, eyes widening at Mikan's continued tears.

"I... I _told you_... I wasn't...! If a-all of you had just _listened_...!" Mikan sobbed.

"Shut up!" Hiyoko screamed. "Maybe you should have defended yourself instead of just crying, then!"

"Back off, Hiyoko-chan!" Ibuki ordered. "You already doubted her and didn't listen and made her cry! Don't make it worse!"

"Tch...!"

"We don't have time for arguing!" Hajime interjected, before pointing at Nagito. "What do you have to say for yourself?!"

Nagito was silent.

"You broken or something?" Akane asked. "Need me to whack you back into shape?"

"That's for _machines_," Kazuichi interjected.

Silence...

"Are you just going to keep quiet?" Peko asked.

"Speak, foul creature!" Gundham ordered.

...

...

...

Nagito began to laugh...

"So. You pieces of worthless, non-burnable trash... you do hold some potential."

He kept laughing, and laughing...

"Well then! Go ahead! **Prove your worth as fourth-rate symbols of hope**!"

"...Nagito-chan..." Ibuki's voice was shaking.

_'This **guilt**... always, always clawing at me... it's growing bigger...' _Ibuki realized. _'Because I knew... I knew he was dangerous, but I thought his injuries made him harmless...! I could have stopped this from happening, but...!'_

Driven forward by the guilt in her heart... Ibuki made a promise!

_'Nagito-chan! I'll be the one to dismantle your scheme!'_


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i didnt know kaito was like. sick. i just learned this by going on the tvtropes of a v3 rewrite fic and like. ????? he was sick? i thought he was just injured. i thought shit happened and he just got injured and this was the thing that would eventually kill him. huh
> 
> also idk. can i read v3 fanfics if i didnt like. ~*experience*~ v3? can i read the tvtropes page? am i banned from tvtropes now? i sure hope not. its my dream for one of my stories to get a tvtropes page one day. no, literally, i have had dreams about having a tvtropes page, in-between my dreams of falling asleep, waking up, and being trapped by demons and tricked into situations of increasing existential horror.
> 
> now that i think about it, these dreams have been happening for years. it was inevitable that i'd start up a semi-divine/demonic ritual one day.

"Is this really the **hope** you wanted to create?" Ibuki asked. "A hope built on the corpse of one of our friends...!"

"I knew you'd understand, Mioda-san!" Nagito exclaimed excitedly. "Isn't it delightful? Their despair-filled faces, it'll all lead to the seed of hope flourishing!"

Ibuki felt sick... she wanted to rebuke him, to call him sick and twisted and cruel, but...

"So, to make this **hope** emerge, you faked your injuries and got access to Mikan-chan's pills," Ibuki said slowly.

"I really **was** injured, you know?" Nagito answered. "But then, Monokuma decided to help me... I really am lucky."

"What is this bastard saying...?" Hiyoko asked in fear.

"You used all those pills and even mixed them with alcohol to make it more potent," Chiaki stated. "It was beyond overkill, and for what?"

"Weren't you listening?" Nagito asked disdainfully. "It was all for the sake of hope."

"You're sick!" Fuyuhiko screamed.

"Shouldn't you be thanking me? I'm putting all this effort into helping your true potential shine through. Though, there might not be much of that in trash like us..."

"Hold your tongue!" Peko ordered. "A twisted man like you shouldn't speak at all!"

"So it's over," Kazuichi said. "We just vote for Komaeda, right? That's it."

"Is that so?" Nagito asked. "Well, I won't mind if that's the conclusion you all reach, but..."

He smiled, turning to the two-toned bear.

"Hey, Monokuma. If I were to poison a substance, and **someone else** were to use it... which one would be the killer?"

"Use your goddamn heads!" Monokuma ordered. "It's obviously the person who used it! If you want to accuse the person who made a weapon of the deaths done with it, then do you want to accuse every blacksmith since the stone age of murder?!"

Mahiru froze.

"It's... not him?"

"I just trusted my gut instinct and poisoned the jam," Nagito said in his defence. "It was beyond my wildest expectation that, minutes after I did it, people would use that jam in baking and cause a death."

Ibuki went pale.

"The... the person who added the jam was...!"

Mahiru went silent...

"Wait! You can't really blame her, right?!" Hajime interjected. "I mean, she didn't know! It was a setup by someone else!"

"If anything, can't you argue that she was used as a **tool** in the murder?!" Peko demanded. "Manipulated and tricked with no will of her own...!"

"I wasn't acting with any sort of plan or scheme," Nagito said. "I was just gambling. On the small chance that, one day, someone would ingest that poison and shake things up."

"Shut up!" Nekomaru ordered. "Shut up! You...!"

"You're pissing me off....!" Akane screamed.

"A madman... a true madman!" Gundham declared.

"It doesn't matter what you call me," Nagito replied happily. "The truth is still the truth, isn't it?"

"No..." Mikan muttered, before screaming. "It was a lie! It, the pills, they didn't need alcohol to cause that death! Nanami-san and Nevermind-san, they mixed it in by accident! I was the one who added in the crushed pills!"

"What are you saying now...!?" Hiyoko demanded. "Why are you—"

"Please, it would be better if it was me...!" Mikan sobbed. "It would be better... so just believe it was me!"

"Stop it," Fuyuhiko ordered. "That's enough! The only person we can blame for this situation is this asshole!"

"We know it's not you," their nameless classmate stated. "Because, he already admitted to poisoning the **jam**..."

"I..." Ibuki's eyes were filling with tears. "The truth... I..."

_'It would have been better... not to hear this truth...' _she thought.

"Dammit...!" Hajime swore.

"...hey," Mahiru spoke up. "It's obvious to everyone what happened here, right?"

"Can't we vote for Komaeda?!" Kazuichi demanded. "Come on! He admitted it and everything!"

"He only **created the poison**," Monokuma stated. "He can't be blamed for someone deciding to use it!"

"But she didn't know!" Hajime screamed.

"Ignorance of the law does not excuse you!" Monokuma declared. 

"...that's enough," Chiaki said. "You... you can't possibly turn back the clock to before this happened. You can't save Nevermind-san from eating that pie, or stop Koizumi-san from adding it in... the only thing you can do is face this despair and move forward."

"A wonderful speech," Nagito remarked. "Now, how will this end?"

Mahiru smiled.

"No...!" Mikan said.

"Stop it...!" Ibuki sobbed.

"Dammit," Hiyoko cursed.

"Hey, Hinata," Mahiru called out. "Thank you for the magazine. Even if it ended like this, I had fun with everyone."

"To be so composed in the face of death... you are an admirable one," Gundham stated. "We'll celebrate your life."

Fuyuhiko swore...

"How noble," Nagito said. "To be so dignified now... is this your hope?"

"I don't understand," Mahiru admitted. "I don't understand why it had to be like this. I don't know what you mean when you say hope, or why I have to die to **protect** everyone else...!"

Tears began to flow, Mahiru's smile beginning to crack.

"I don't know why it had to come to this, when we were just having fun! When we were just becoming closer friends...! But you...! For your twisted hope, _you_—!"

She broke down...

"I don't have anything else to say to you," Mahiru declared, wiping her tears, putting on her smile once again, addressing everyone but Nagito. "Everyone... please keep going. I know all of you can't possibly fall victim to this sick game...!"

"Mahiru-chan..." Ibuki whimpered.

"Keep smiling," Mahiru requested. "Smile and spread your smiles to others. That's all I can ask."

And then, it was time to vote...

"The votes have come in!" Monokuma declared. "And it's true! You got it right! The killer was **Koizumi Mahiru**!"

"Goodbye," Nagito said. "You were a magnificent stepping stone."

"Oh, and, since you got through this trial, I'll give you a delightful reward!" Monokuma announced. "The truth is... all of you are Hope's Peak's **talented students**."

"...eh?" Mahiru replied, before the memories came to her. To all of them.

"The... Super High School Level Photographer...?" Nagito voiced the title out loud.

"Hey! Why are you telling us this now...!?" Hajime demanded, just as Nagito laughed.

"So, the people I've been talking down to all this time... they're actually the symbols of hope I was searching for! And amongst them, there is the **true hope amongst hope**!" he exclaimed. "This is wonderful!"

He laughed and laughed...

"Koizumi-san... thank you! Your death let this hope emerge!"

"Shut the fuck up!" Fuyuhiko ordered, as Nekomaru and Akane rushed to keep Nagito silent...

Mahiru's face was cold as Nagito was slammed against the floor, held down by several students.

"I... I'm sorry..." Ibuki whispered, crying. "I'm sorry.... I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry...."

Her voice became a nonstop mantra of repentance.

And then, the collar wrapped around Mahiru's neck...!

**"It's punishment time!"**

* * *

_SHSL Photographer's Execution_

_Memory Lane Reconstruction_

* * *

Mahiru was dropped into a dark room, filled with the happy pictures she had taken. They were strung up all around her, still dripping with...

Hm? Wasn't that blood?

The pools of dark liquid grew larger and larger, until they covered the floor, until it rose to the top, until she was drowning in it...

A trapdoor opened in the floor, sending the liquid downwards... Mahiru fought and gasped for breath, until she slammed into the ground below, covered in...

Her photos came with her, fluttering to the ground delicately. Then, ink-like apparitions clawed their way out of the photos. They took the form of her classmates.

Surrounding Mahiru in a circle, the creatures shaped like her classmates smiled. 

They began to beat her, yanking at her hair roughly, cutting up her arms and legs, and with each injury, they documented it with a photo.

Until one wearing a hoodie pulled out a chainsaw...

Too injured to move without assistance, Mahiru couldn't even try to crawl away as they cut off her head.

The creatures took a group photo with her head, her blood staining the original happy photos...

...

...

........

* * *

Obtained **Beloved Camera**!

A memento of Mahiru. She loved taking pictures of smiling faces with this camera...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so yeah, i accidentally got a friend to ask to do the oumaede ritual with me? i think i might have accidentally become a cultist??? HELP?????????


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so it turns out that doing the full oumaede ritual almost resulted in my death and also led to various unfortunate accidents along the way, which might have had something to do with the fact that the second half involves a song i was not aware was about saying goodbye to a lover and discarding feelings for them.
> 
> so, kaede ritual applications are open again

Ibuki, for once, didn't have any energy.

She sat on the beach, staring out at the ocean's waters. Her thoughts were disjointed and scrambled as she played with the sand, drawing circles and stars and all sorts of little scribbles...

_'A night ago, we were having a fun party together,' _she thought. _'A night ago, Sonia-chan and Mahiru-chan were alive.'_

She cried. And somewhere in those tears, her thoughts began to cloud over.

Guilt, loneliness, repentance, horror, mourning, guilt... her emotions were overwhelming...

And that was when Ibuki began to sing through her tears.

Her song got interrupted by sobs, her notes were shaky, but she couldn't get herself to stop.

Something in her heart, something too vague to be called a memory, told her that Sonia and Mahiru would have liked the song.

"Hey."

Ibuki's eyes widened as she turned, her hands quickly coming up to dry her tears.

"Hiyoko-chan!" She said, gasping in exaggerated shock, slapping a smile on her face. "What're you doing out here at this hour!? Gasp, is it a midnight rendezvous?!"

"I came here to tell you to shut up and go to sleep," Hiyoko retorted bluntly. "I can hear your wailing all the way from my cabin."

_'Huh? Aren't they soundproof?'_ Ibuki wondered, just as Hiyoko shoved something into her hands.

"Erm... photos...?" Ibuki said, before her eyes widened.

"They're the ones Koizumi took during the party," Hiyoko stated. "Her and Nevermind were smiling together..."

"Why... are you giving this to me?" Ibuki asked.

"Because you're keeping me up!" Hiyoko exclaimed. "If you make a memorial or something, then you can shut up and go back inside, right?! Instead of staying out here, loudly broadcasting to anyone around that you're up and ready to be killed, find a better way of relieving your guilt!"

Ibuki's smile dropped off her face...

"Stop being so unreasonable with it!" Hiyoko ordered. "You run yourself ragged trying to help everyone out of guilt, you blame yourself for something no one could have predicted... it's annoying as hell! Leave the guilt to the assholes who actually did something wrong! Dumbass!"

"Are you... telling me not to blame myself?" Ibuki asked. "Because, I didn't do anything wrong...?"

_'But you did,'_ some part of Ibuki's heart whispered, the same **guilt** coming back to crush her--

**_"Isn't it fucking obvious?!"_** Hiyoko demanded. "Oh, wait! You're fucked up in the head, I remember now, because _no rational human being_ could think you're to blame for the things you think you are!"

"Hiyoko-chan--"

"Shut the fuck up!" Hiyoko declared. "I don't want to hear whatever self-loathing spiel you came up with to justify your bullshit! Just shut up and go to sleep already!"

"Okay," Ibuki said with a smile. 

Hiyoko pouted as Ibuki stood up, the taller girl sparing a smile at the photos.

"Hey, Hiyoko-chan," Ibuki said softly. "Thank you."

"I just want to go to sleep in peace," Hiyoko huffed.

"Then, do you want to make the memorial together?" Ibuki asked.

* * *

"What the absolute hell is this," Hajime asked them.

"...a memorial?" Ibuki replied.

"Why did you add a cow skull and stickers to a _fucking memorial_," he demanded.

"It seemed fitting," Hiyoko answered.

"The regal one _did_ show an interest in the occult," Gundham spoke up.

"The stickers are all of hearts and stars..." Teruteru noted. "It feels like something Koizumi-san would appreciate."

"So, we found and got rid of the jam Komaeda poisoned--" Fuyuhiko cut himself off as he entered the dining hall, immediately asked, "what the hell."

"Is... this some sort of ritual?" Peko asked.

"We locked Komaeda in his cabin--" Nekomaru also cut himself off as he walked in with Akane...

"It's a memorial! For Sonia-chan and Mahiru-chan!" Ibuki screamed before Nekomaru could ask. "Do we need a signboard or something?!"

"That would help, I think," Chiaki said. "I mean, Souda-kun and Tsumiki-san already fainted."

"Fuck!" Fuyuhiko swore.

"Well, I'm sure your feelings reached the two of them," Hajime said. "...maybe."

"You know, you could have just stopped after the first part," Hiyoko retorted.


	22. Chapter 22

"There's a killing game going on inside the simulation," Tenko reported to the rest of the group, Miaya back to watch over Tsumugi. "As much as Tenko hates to admit it... we might have to rely on Shirogane. She's the only one who knows how to completely hijack the system."

"No, no..." Kaede muttered anxiously, her fingers fidgeting. "We have to try as hard as possible to save them, right?! It's only right!"

"...I wonder... is this really what Kamukura wanted?" Kaito asked. "After all, his Alter Ego AI swore **not to hurt any human being**."

"And Usanami's definition of harm was simply not to intervene with any of their emotions," Kiibo added. "It kept Usanami from affecting them in any positive or negative manner."

"Isn't there a loophole here?" Kokichi asked, taking Kaede's hands in his own. "I mean, leaving out the possibility that Alter Ego was **lying**... messing with other AIs wouldn't count as directly harming any human beings, right?"

"So the fact that Korekiyo and Shirogane's AIs went rogue could be..." Ryoma trailed off.

"All part of the plan," Rantarou answered.

"Speculation won't get us anywhere," Kirumi stated. "All we can do is do our best to bring the corrupted simulation to an end."

"You're saying... a forced shutdown?" Maki asked.

"But they will still be the Ultimate Despair, won't they?" Gonta asked fearfully.

"All that work would be for nothing..." Himiko whispered.

"But," Shuuichi spoke up. "You said before that Alter Ego... well, when they did their introduction, they said they were **one half** of the Alter Ego AI, right? Maybe they're not strong enough to require a forced shutdown."

"And we have several machinery experts, along with a creator of the Neo World Program with us..." Korekiyo added. "And the full support of the rest of the Future Foundation. We could ask for a few tech experts too."

"Hmm, hmm, but that doesn't mean anything if we can't figure out what to do," Angie pointed out. "We still need a way of moving forward."

"We set up a camera into the simulation, but we can't do much but watch," Miu stated. "Shirogane's the one with experience messing with memories... maybe...!"

Her eyes widened.

"She doesn't just know how to erase memories, she knows how to **bring them back**! You know, the memory lights! If she can help **forcefully awaken** Kamukura's memories, then the simulation will go back on track!"

"Can we trust her, though...?" Shuuichi wondered.

"It's our best shot!" Kaede declared. "Miu-chan, let's go and convince her!"

"Eh? Me?" Miu asked in reply.

"I mean, you _were_ the one who stuck up for her," Himiko pointed out. "Maybe she likes you."

Kaito let out a hearty laugh.

"Maybe you can seduce her with your '_beautiful busty body_'!" he suggested.

Miu went red.

"Sh-sh-shut uppppppppppppp!" Miu screamed. "Ah, the kids aren't here, right?! I can't let them hear—"

"Komaru-chan and Yuuta-chan are babysitting," Himiko pointed out. "You're safe."

"Actually," Kaede said suddenly, "seducing her might not be a bad idea!"

"I'm sorry, what," Maki said bluntly. 

"Is this another stupid and unnecessary plan," Kokichi asked.

"Listen, what she needs right now is a **friend** who can understand her, right? It won't mean anything if it's always me talking to her, because then she'll just become overly-reliant on me in Enoshima's place... so Miu-chan, you're up to bat! Go ahead and seduce her!"

"_Befriend_," Rantarou offered. "I think you mean befriend."

"Either one!" Kaede retorted.

"Are... are you _sure_?!" Miu demanded. "Wouldn't someone like, friendly-like, like, Gonta, or, uh, Himiko...? Angie? Be better?"

"Gonta does not feel comfortable with Shirogane," Gonta stated. "She feels like she could... manipulate Gonta easily..."

"We're not letting Gonta near her," Ryoma declared instantly.

"I don't want to," Himiko said. "Being around her makes me want to hurl."

"You realize that Angie almost stabbed her three times while doing measurements for a dress, right?" Angie asked.

"...ah."

"It's fine if you don't want to," Kaede said. "But I think you'd be great for the role."

"I'll go with you," Kiibo said. "If you're in danger, I'll be sure to help you."

Miu hesitated, before grinning.

"Alright! This is gonna be fucking easy! I'll get her on our side in five minutes!"

Kirumi laughed.

"Of course. We'd expect nothing less of Miu-san."

* * *

Miu went down to Tsumugi's jail cell, dressed in a pair of shorts and a white tank top whose design had long faded away over a black sports bra. 

She figured it would be a simple task of just, you know, talking to Tsumugi.

Miu, however, had no idea where to start with talking to Tsumugi, because she barely knew how to start a normal conversation with anyone outside her group.

Kiibo watched on, figuring that Miu was just sizing Tsumugi up, unaware that Miu had no idea what she was doing.

"Yo, Shirogane," Miu finally called out, stepping into Tsumugi's cell fully. "D'you got any plans?"

"I'm a prisoner," Tsumugi retorted flatly. "What could I ever plan for?"

"Erm, helpin' out, for one? Or designs you want to do, or something," Miu said awkwardly. "Anything you want to do, really."

"What do you want?" Tsumugi asked.

"Don't be so frickin' hostile!" Miu exclaimed. "I came here to talk to you!"

Tsumugi glared at Miu, gritting her teeth as she stepped closer... Miu held her ground!

"What, just so I can help you?! Is that all?! You don't need to act all sweet when I'm already trying to--"

Miu scoffed, shoving Tsumugi back. The bespectacled girl fell onto her cell bed, looking up at Miu's disdainful eyes.

"I might want you to help, but that isn't all, dumbass! I'm here because I believe you might actually have a shot."

"At what," Tsumugi asked flatly.

"Whatever you goddamn want!" Miu answered. "A girl like you, you could make friends with other nerds real easy, you know?! You can do good and earn your way out of this cell, you can make whatever costume you could ever dream of, but, well, someone needs to give you the chance to! And that person might as well be me!"

"You're just saying whatever fancy words you can come up with to make me want to join you," Tsumugi huffed. 

"And you're just saying whatever cynical bullshit you can come up with to justify your halfassed attitude!" Miu retorted. "You think people'll believe you're actually trying to do good when you complain and act this way?! Do you think you're being cool or what?!"

"Why are you talking to me?!" Tsumugi demanded. "I'm already trying to help, so why are you--?"

"Because you need it," Miu said, crossing her arms over her chest as she leaned over, glaring at Tsumugi up close. Tsumugi's eyes unconsciously went down before she forced them back at Miu's face. 

"I want to believe in you, because you remind me of myself," Miu stated. "I want to believe you can improve, because being with the others helped me improve. I want to believe that, if someone just _gave you a chance_, you might be able to turn back and better yourself!"

Tsumugi stared at Miu with wide eyes, her heart pounding as Miu straightened up and flipped her hair.

"But if I'm wasting my time, just fucking tell me!" she ordered Tsumugi. 

Tsumugi was silent.

"...you... really think... that I can turn back?" Tsumugi asked.

"Hell if I know for sure," Miu answered. "But you can damn well try your ass off."

"But... if it doesn't work... I'll just keep being alone..."

"Shut up and make an effort before you say anything about it not working," Miu ordered. 

Tsumugi looked up at Miu with dazed eyes.

And then she began to cry.

Miu freaked out. She checked her pockets, but she didn't have any tissues...!

She looked over to Kiibo, who looked just as panicked and lost as she was.

Then, desperately, Miu pulled Tsumugi up and into a hug, smashing Tsumugi's face into her chest. 

"It's fine! It's fine, don't cry, please, oh god why are you crying," Miu said in a panic, completely unaware of Tsumugi almost dying, in multiple ways.

With a bright red face, Tsumugi shoved Miu away, automatically going to clean her glasses...

"Get out!" Tsumugi shrieked. "G-get out of here!"

"Eeeeeek, okay, okay! Stop yelling!" Miu replied, rushing away.

Left alone in her cell, Tsumugi panted for air.

She held her glasses in one hand, the other going to cover her face as she curled up into a ball on the floor.

_'...does she actually mean that...?' _she wondered, still trying to recover emotionally...


	23. Chapter 23

**Mioda Ibuki: **Good om-nom-nomming! Neko-chan! Wanna hang out?

**Nidai Nekomaru: **Ah, I'd sure LIKE to, but... I'm guarding Komaeda for today. Maybe another time.

**Mioda Ibuki: **Okay! Keep doing your best! We're relying on you!

**Ibuki goes to spend time with someone else...**

* * *

**Owari Akane: **They'd want us to keep smiling...

_Hang out with Akane-chan?_

_> Yep! <_

_> No_

**Mioda Ibuki: **Then, let's keep smiling! Let's gooooooo!

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(We have fun chasing each other around the island!)_

**Owari Akane: **That was pretty fun! Thanks, Mioda!

**Mioda Ibuki: **Hahhh, hahhh, man, I'm all worked out, but Akane-chan doesn't seem to be out of breath at _all_...

**Owari Akane: **Heh, of course! I'd be downed in an instant in a fight if this were enough to tire me out!

**Mioda Ibuki: **Huh? Fighting?

**Owari Akane: **Yup. 

**Owari Akane: **Getting stronger and fighting other strong people... that's what gets my blood pumping!

**Mioda Ibuki: **Wow... you're like the protagonist of a sports manga! With the bang, bang, boom, and the fist pump pow, and bang!

**Owari Akane: **I dunno what you're talkin' about, but it sounds good to me! 

**Mioda Ibuki: **Then, would Ibuki be the joke character...? Or supporting character...?

**Owari Akane: **Huh? Can't you fight?

**Mioda Ibuki: **No, no, you said getting tired from this much would make me go down in an instant, so I couldn't fight!

**Owari Akane: **That sorta attitude is why you can't! Thinking it's impossible means it's impossible, right?!

**Mioda Ibuki: **But, why would I want to fight?

**Owari Akane: **Eh.

**Mioda Ibuki: **I mean, I'm not opposed to like, _you_ liking fighting, but why would _I_ need to fight? 

**Mioda Ibuki: **Playing music is enough to get my blood pumping, so...

**Owari Akane: **...?!

**Owari Akane: **You... are really too weak...! If you're going to say you don't need to fight, then you just give up every single time...?! That's too sad...!

**Mioda Ibuki: **Yeah, now Ibuki's the one who has no idea what's happening.

**Owari Akane: **Mioda! Next time around, I'll teach you how to fight! You can't back down, okay?!

**Mioda Ibuki: **...okay, why not? It could be super interesting!

**Owari Akane: **Heh, don't worry, I won't go easy on you.

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(I'm beginning to get worried.)_

**Received a Hope Fragment!**

* * *

**Pekoyama Peko: **Those deaths... they were sacrificed for what, hope?

_Spend time with Peko-chan?_

_> Yeah! <_

_> No_

**Mioda Ibuki: **Peko-chan! Wanna hold hands and walk by the beach?!

**Pekoyama Peko: **For what purpose, exactly?

**Mioda Ibuki: **Because, well, Ibuki wants to bring **peace of mind** to Peko-chan!

**Mioda Ibuki: **Peko-chan seems so earnest and stern, so I want to see you smile...!

**Pekoyama Peko: **Is that... the impression I give off...?

**Mioda Ibuki: **Dunno! It's the impression _I_ get, but Ibuki doesn't know you that well, you know! If there's something more, though, Ibuki would love to find out!

**Pekoyama Peko: **Alright. If doing this will help ensure that I'm not seen as _that_ intimidating...

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(Peko takes my hand. Wow, it's super callused! From all her hard training?)_

**Mioda Ibuki: **Heyo, Peko-chan. I don't think you're intimidating.

**Pekoyama Peko: **What do you mean?

**Mioda Ibuki: **I think Peko-chan is cute. You're so serious that I wanna do my bestest to make you smile!

**Mioda Ibuki: **So that's why... it's illegal for Peko-chan to force herself to be okay just to feel less intimidating! Because Ibuki isn't scared, and it's worthless if Ibuki can't full force make you smile!

**Pekoyama Peko: **...thank you, Mioda. I appreciate it.

**Received a Hope Fragment!**

**Saionji Hiyoko: **Hey! What the hell are you two doing?! 

**Mioda Ibuki: **Hiyo-chan! 

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(I grab Hiyoko-chan and pull her along with us!)_

**Saionji Hiyoko: **Eh?!

**Mioda Ibuki: **Let's walk together! Because this is the sort of thing that will deepen our bonds and such, let's go!

**Saionji Hiyoko: **Hold on, what--?!

**Pekoyama Peko: **Are... really? I.... cannot think of a single thing that we can base a bond on.

**Mioda Ibuki: **That's 'cuz you're not thinking hard enough. Hiyo-chan likes traditional dance, and Peko-chan's a samurai, right? Therefore, that traditional Japanese aesthetic... is totally enough for you two to be friends!

**Saionji Hiyoko: **...

**Pekoyama Peko: **...

**Mioda Ibuki: **Also, you're both cute girls. Did I mention that?

**Saionji Hiyoko: **You're weird. Really, really weird.

**Mioda Ibuki: **Thanks~!

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(We spend some more time holding hands around the beach, before Fuyu-chan and Mikan-chan ask to hang out with Peko-chan. After that, I leave with Hiyo-chan.)_

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(I think it went pretty well!)_

**Received a Hope Fragment!**

* * *

**Souda Kazuichi: **Damn that guy...

_Hang out with Kazuichi-chan?_

_> Yupperdoodles! <_

_> No way, no way!_

**Mioda Ibuki:** Let's start a band.

**Saionji Hiyoko: **Eh. What.

**Souda Kazuichi: **Huh?!

**Mioda Ibuki: **I mean, look at us, Kazu-chan! We've got the punk aesthetic down...! The only thing is music!

**Saionji Hiyoko: **What the hell are you on about this time?

**Mioda Ibuki: **Hiyo-chan can be our personal dancer!

**Saionji Hiyoko: **I never agreed to this. He never agreed either--

**Souda Kazuichi: **A band, huh? That would be cool as fuck! I'm in!

**Saionji Hiyoko: **...

**Saionji Hiyoko:** Oh, great. He's a virgin trying to impress girls.

**Souda Kazuichi: **Not true!

**Mioda Ibuki: **Don't worry, girls love bands! I'm a girl and I love bands!

**Saionji Hiyoko: **Huh?! Are you stupid?! Do you _want_ this living pile of desperation to hit on you?!

**Souda Kazuichi: **Hey, wait! Mioda's not my type! I'm into blondes!

**Saionji Hiyoko: **Get away from me! Pervert!

**Souda Kazuichi: **Wait, no! That's not what I meant!

**Mioda Ibuki: **Don't worry, I will support you two and your love from the sidelines!

**Saionji Hiyoko: **ARE. YOU. STUPID.

**Mioda Ibuki: **NO. I'M. NOT. I. JUST. SUPPORT. MY. FRIENDS. AND. THEIR. LOVE.

**Souda Kazuichi:** Quit talkin' like that! And I _don't_ like her like that, okay?! 

**Mioda Ibuki: **Ufufufufufu...

**Mioda Ibuki: **I'll go _prepare things_ for the band practice... don't mind me making my exit...

**Saionji Hiyoko: **Stop it. I never agreed to this.

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(Oh, I'm well aware. I just think this is hilarious.)_

**Got a Hope Fragment!**

* * *

**Mioda Ibuki: **Chi-chan! Do you wanna--

**Saionji Hiyoko: **No! 

**Nanami Chiaki: **...?

**Hiyoko drags Ibuki away.**

**Mioda Ibuki: **Okay, I suppose?

* * *

**Mioda Ibuki: **Hey, Neko-chan? Can we visit him?

**Nidai Nekomaru: **Eh? You want to visit Komaeda?

**Saionji Hiyoko: **...why would you?

**Mioda Ibuki: **...

**Mioda Ibuki: **Just because?

**Saionji Hiyoko: **Yeah, no, that's like, a masochistic desire, isn't it?

**Mioda Ibuki: **You don't have to come. I can go on my own.

**Saionji Hiyoko: **No way. He's the type to drive you mad with a few words, so...

**Saionji Hiyoko: **You better thank me for having the grace to protect you from that!

**Mioda Ibuki: **Yeah, thank you, Hiyoko-chan.

**Saionji Hiyoko: **...! Eh...?

**Hiyoko blushes.**

**Nidai Nekomaru: **If you're sure, then, I'll watch over you guys to make sure he doesn't escape while you're talking.

**Mioda Ibuki: **Thank you, Neko-chan!

**...**

* * *

**Komaeda Nagito: **Mioda-san! You visited! I thought after Hinata-kun gave me the food, that would be the end of it, but I really am lucky, huh?

_...spend time with him?_

_> ...yeah <_

_> No..._

**Hiyoko holds Ibuki's hand as Ibuki steps up.**

**Mioda Ibuki:** ...hey.

**Mioda Ibuki: **Are you happy now? With the **hope** you created?

**Komaeda Nagito: **Ahahaha! I knew you'd understand!

**Komaeda Nagito: **Because Mioda-san was kind... even though I lambasted you at every opportunity, you strove to understand trash like me as an equal! Truly, the world isn't worthy of you, Mioda-san!

**Komaeda Nagito: **You are a true symbol of hope, on the level of Hinata-kun!

**Mioda Ibuki: **Huh? H... Hajime-chan?

**Komaeda Nagito: **It's only to be expected the the **SHSL Hope** would have no time for me... he simply left and didn't want anything to do with me.

**Komaeda Nagito: **But, even though the sheer difference between the talented you and the worthless me has come to light, you still understand!

**Mioda Ibuki: **...

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(I... am beginning to feel sick...)_

**Mioda Ibuki: **You never answered me... 

**Komaeda Nagito: **Ah, sorry, sorry, that was incredibly rude of me!

**Komaeda Nagito: **While I _am_ happy everyone's true potential could emerge... there's no way it could stop at that, right?

**Komaeda Nagito: **There are always greater heights to reach towards, and I don't want to see your hope wither now! I want to cheer all of you on, towards the greatest hope you could ever achieve!

**Saionji Hiyoko: **...he's nuts.

**Saionji Hiyoko: **Do... do you really want to keep talking to him...?

...

_> yes <_

_> no_

**Ibuki squeezes Hiyoko's hand. Hiyoko stays quiet...**

**Mioda Ibuki: **Hey, Nagito. Are you saying that, if you ever had the chance, you'd set up another death? Did I understand that right?

**Komaeda Nagito: **Well, I wouldn't be opposed to that... but, anyone is perfectly welcome to kill me instead. 

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(Sick...! I feel sick...)_

**Mioda Ibuki: **But, the guards won't let that happen, would they?

**Komaeda Nagito: **It's truly unfortunate... though, I would expect some good luck to come about soon.

**Komaeda Nagito: **Maybe this dose of good luck would simply be the fact that I got to see you, Mioda-san.

**Mioda Ibuki: **...maybe.

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(What... do I do? I feel sick, but... who else can keep him from hurting anyone?)_

**Mioda Ibuki: **Hey, Nagito? I'll visit you again. Stay alive and out of trouble until then.

**Komaeda Nagito: **If that's what you want from a talentless heathen like me... then, of course I'll do my best to comply!

**Mioda Ibuki: **Okay. Thanks.

**Mioda Ibuki: **Let's go, Hiyoko-chan.

**Hiyoko nods, before they leave.**

**Received a Hope Fragment.**

* * *

**Mioda Ibuki: **...

**Saionji Hiyoko: **Hey. You're really quiet.

**Mioda Ibuki: **Super duper sorry, Hiyo-chan! I was just thinking!

**Saionji Hiyoko: **Don't lie. I know you don't have a brain.

**Mioda Ibuki: **Ouch! Right! In! The! Heart! Your hurtful words stabbed me right there, you know?!

**Saionji Hiyoko: **Yeah, yeah... come on. Lose to me a few times in video games. Your sorry face depressed me, and I want you to lose to cheer me back up.

**Mioda Ibuki: **...okay. Playing video games together sounds nice.

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(Thank you, Hiyoko-chan. For trying to cheer me up.)_

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(Heh, it's a bit lame to keep being cheered up like this, right? Don't worry. I'll be sure to help you out in return. Maybe by **helping you befriend the others more**...)_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hiyoko joining in the middle of a free time event counts makes the event chain automatically transition from the pre-gremlin event to the next post-gremlin event, and she has different jealousy rates for different characters, ie: shes way more likely to get jealous over chiaki or hajime than teruteru, because she has trouble imagining how anyone could be attracted to teruteru


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> im just going to assume that there is no set amount of hope fragments for everyone because while it makes sense for a video game to let you max out a bond with someone, i dont get how a simulation meant to help you become friends with people just lets you max out being friends. so theres no exact precise amount of ftes, because they get hope fragments for being friends

"So, y'know robot anime?" Miu asked.

"...why?" Tsumugi asked in return.

"Look, I'm trying to figure out more about you and also what sort of shit you like, so I'd really fuckin' appreciate it if you played along," Miu replied. 

"You're very blunt and awkward, you know?" Tsumugi stated. "It would be easier to convince me if you sent Akamatsu-san or something..."

"This isn't about convincing you!" Miu exclaimed angrily. "This isn't about singlehandedly bullshitting you into seeing my point or doing what I want... I'm just trying to make sure you're not alone!"

Tsumugi's eyes widened.

"I'm not going to ignore you, I'm not going to leave you alone... so if you want it, just shut up and take it!" Miu screamed. 

Tsumugi stared at her in silence. 

Then, awkwardly, she said, "...so, um... can I hear about you, then?"

Watching on from outside the cell, Tenko, Miu's escort for the day, smiled as Miu began to brag.

* * *

**Mioda Ibuki: **Good morning, Hajime-chan!

**Mioda Ibuki: **Eh? What's that?

**Hinata Hajime: **Ah, well, I got these **fireworks** from the Monomono Machine... I was thinking of watching them with everyone tonight. 

**Mioda Ibuki: **Woah! That's a totally AWESOME idea! It's just what we need to bring up everyone's spirits!

**Ibuki laughs and thanks Hajime for his good luck.**

**Hinata Hajime: **Speaking of luck... 

**Mioda Ibuki: **...eh? Did Nagito-chan do something?

**Hinata Hajime: **Oh, no, I wasn't even talking about him.

**Hinata Hajime: **I just got this from the Monomono Machine too. Maybe you can do something with it?

**Hajime gave Ibuki a Replica Sword.**

**Mioda Ibuki: **Wowowowowowow, you're giving this to _me_?! Hajime-chan, I might fall for you!

**Saionji Hiyoko: **Hey, assholes, stop chatting up the lobby! Some people need to eat!

**Hinata Hajime: **Oh, sorry...

**Mioda Ibuki: **Morning, numnums!

**Saionji Hiyoko: **Eh!? Numnums?!

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(I laugh with Hajime-chan and argue with Hiyoko-chan... I feel like it's gonna be a great day today!)_

**Received a Hope Fragment!**

* * *

"...the more I learn, the more I fail to understand," Rantarou said, watching the camera they had set up. Thanks to some messing around, they could make it follow different students in an instant.

"What d'you mean, Ran-chan?" Kokichi asked, eating snacks as Ibuki hung out with different friends.

"Well, uh, first is it really okay for you to eat with some delicate machinery in here?" Rantarou asked.

"The pod survived the ping-pong incident, I'm sure it'll be fine," Kaito answered.

"Ping-pong incident?" Kiibo asked. "What have you done?"

A chorus of "nothing"s resounded.

Kiibo hesitated, before accepting that as an answer. Miaya had a very flat stare, but she ignored them in order to write down more data.

"But, what don't you get?" Kokichi asked again.

Rantarou gestured to the screen, the scene being shown...

* * *

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(Like Kazu-chan said... it's so YUMMY! I'm really happy I can see these smiling faces...)_

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(I'm... I'm happy? I'm... happy? Then why... do I suddenly feel like crying?)_

**Pekoyama Peko: **Mioda?

**Hanamura Teruteru: **Hey, are you okay?

**Souda Kazuichi: **You're not allergic or anything, are you?! Crap!

**Mioda Ibuki: **No, no, it's... I just... wish Sonia-chan and Mahiru-chan were here to eat this too...

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(That's the reason, right? I feel guilty because I lived while they died?)_

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(No... I know I felt like this, long before anyone ever died... so **why**...? Why don't I **remember** the cause for this guilt...?)_

**Hanamura Teruteru: **Hey, chin up. I'll make another mouth-waterin' dish for you, 'kay? 

**Hanamura Teruteru: **Remember, Koizumi-san wanted us to keep smiling. And it wouldn't do for such a cute girl to be crying, alright?

**Souda Kazuichi: **Yeah! We're going to do our best to keep any more murders from happenin', okay?! No matter what!

**Pekoyama Peko: **I'll devote my sword to that cause.

**Mioda Ibuki: **Thanks, everyone! I don't know what got into me, ahahaha!

**Received Hope Fragment x 3!**

* * *

"For most of these kids... you can see that they were good kids," Rantarou said. "You can figure out where they went wrong, when and how Enoshima came in and ruined them..."

He let out a sigh, switching the camera over to Nagito. He was chattering something about potential to Akane, who was trying her best to ignore him.

"But this guy... what the fuck?" he asked. "You're telling me that, even before Enoshima came into his life, he was willing to let two of his classmates die for something like _'hope'? _Why is he like this?"

"Don't forget, this killing game was meant to help **memories** emerge," Kiibo pointed out. "Maybe his actions were because of his memories of despair?"

"But Mioda's on the verge of remembering, and all she does is feel really guilty," Kaito noted. "I don't think the word _'despair' _came up in his thoughts at all."

"Hey, Miaya-chan," Kokichi called out. "You think his brain diseases might have affected something?"

"There's a chance," Miaya replied, as Akane began to lose her patience. "The Neo World Program might directly interfere with the brain itself to help, but Komaeda-san's brain is **physically rotting**. Not much we can do about that."

"Eh...? His brain is rotting?" Rantarou asked.

"In all honesty, it's a miracle he's survived this long," Miaya answered. "He should have died three years ago."

"So his avatar might not actually be an accurate reflection of who he was," Kaito said. "Since, well, his mind is going..."

"Can we really call this person Komaeda Nagito?" Kiibo asked. "He isn't who he was in the past, but he isn't an accurate reflection of his current despair self, either..."

"It all comes down to the real question, you know?" Kokichi said, watching Akane scream at Nagito to shut up. "Putting them in this sort of program, forcibly removing and manipulating their memories, isn't that a really messed up thing to do?"

"We can't care about justice," Miaya declared. "We can only do what we can to end the Tragedy. Call it brainwashing, torture, or something in-between, we still have no choice."

Ibuki poked her head in, asking if it was a good time to talk to Nagito.

Akane backed off, letting Ibuki do as she wished.

"You said it yourself, didn't you?" Miaya asked. "Killing them would only let them be martyrs, reforming them would set an example for every one of their followers..."

"You think I believed that?" Kokichi retorted. "They were just some fancy lies I threw out there. I didn't mean any of it."

"...eh?"

"Ah, right, forgot you aren't around to know on your own," Rantarou said, tearing his eyes away from the screen with an easy smile. "This guy's only honest around Kaede-san, but since she went with the other biker gang members to stop another imitation killing game..."

"He lied about what we had for breakfast this morning," Kaito stated.

"Shut up, you guys," Kokichi huffed, tossing another chip into his mouth. "Honestly, I don't know how I put up with _any_ of you..."

"Another lie," Kiibo said.

"Shut up!" Kokichi snapped, making the others snicker.

* * *

**Komaeda Nagito: **Mioda-san! You came to visit again? I'm honoured!

**Mioda Ibuki: **Well, I promised I would, right? I...

**Mioda Ibuki: **I don't want to leave you alone. That's all.

**Saionji Hiyoko: **Hold it!

**Mioda Ibuki: **Eh?

**Saionji Hiyoko: **Shut up and get out of here with me! Being with this guy only makes your issues worse!

**Mioda Ibuki: **Wha— but, Hiyoko-chan!

**Saionji Hiyoko: **Shut up! Come on! The fireworks are about to start!

**Souda Kazuichi: **Don't worry! He won't be alone! Since I took the day off, I'm guarding him for tonight! 

**Mioda Ibuki: **...

**Ibuki looks back at Nagito.**

**Komaeda Nagito: **Don't worry about me. Seeing you take the time to visit me... it's enough to make me happy. You don't have to stay.

**Mioda Ibuki: **...okay. I'll see you tomorrow, then.

**Komaeda Nagito: **I'll be looking forward to it.

**Ibuki leaves with Hiyoko. They walk towards the beach where the fireworks will be launched, hand-in-hand...**

**Mioda Ibuki: **How did you know I was...?

**Saionji Hiyoko: **It was just a guess. 

**Saionji Hiyoko: **But, you know... I think it's fine to be more selfish. To think of yourself more. It's not your duty to watch over him when it makes you miserable, and no one's asking you to fix him...

**Saionji Hiyoko: **It's enough if you just act like an idiot all the time. 

**Mioda Ibuki: **...

**Mioda Ibuki: **Haha... I'm still really lame, huh? 

**Saionji Hiyoko: **What?

**Mioda Ibuki: **It's not important. 

**Mioda Ibuki: **Hey, Hiyoko-chan. Want to spend tomorrow with me? Spend some time with the others and have some fun? 

**Saionji Hiyoko: **...fine. Only because you still help me with my kimono and stuff...

**Mioda Ibuki: **Great! Then, it's a date!

**Saionji Hiyoko: **H-huh?! Who ever said that?! Idiot!

**Ibuki laughs as they go off together.**

**Everyone loved the fireworks!**


	25. Chapter 25

Despite being widely respected as the elite team who had captured the despairs, the former Despair Capture Movement group was still a bunch of dumbasses, their five kids, and three former interns who dropped in from time to time to hang out. They were dorks and not even being legal adults now could take that from them.

They were pretty much legally obliged to be eccentric, considering that, not only were they effective at their jobs, but they were (technically) students at Hope's Peak Academy. Despite, well, the world ending before they could attend a single class.

One of their particular collective eccentricities only emerged every week. Their meetings to discuss despair capture plans were so helpful in organizing and laying out their goals and objectives that they made it a weekly tradition. In these meetings, they informed the others of exactly what other missions who had been assigned when, assigned who would be taking care of the kids, who was in charge of shopping for the week, etc.

The eccentricity came in when, one week, with absolutely no context whatsoever, Kaito added, "by the way, Himiko's banned from all plaid fabric. If you see her with some, you should immediately confiscate it."

Being who they were, they did not _ask_ for context, and instead, immediately took the excuse to make it into an absurd joke. Himiko got him back the next week by banning him from bunny slippers. Miu decided to ban Gonta from bagpipes. Rantarou got banned from tricycles. Shuuichi had to preemptively ban everyone from making a cardboard jail for people who violated their bans, since he realized that banning Kirumi from chicken would end badly if they actually got their hands on chicken meat one day.

(Kirumi's ban was hastily corrected to a _live_ chicken next week.)

The crux of the humour was mostly that, as Future Foundation employees and as people living after the end of the world, there was almost no way they could ever get their hands on any of these things in the first place.

Most fabrics were rationed and divided amongst territories in need of clothing, with employees each receiving a simple uniform. Himiko didn't even work with the division in charge of transporting those resources, either, so where would she even get that fabric? Musical instruments, with the exception of Kaede's keyboard, were sent to a special department in order to preserve products of the past until mass reproduction could start up again. Same for the tricycle. 

But, well, food division was normally strictly controlled and divided evenly, even amongst the higher ups, but with Ruruka, head of the food production division, _planning Kokichi and Kaede's wedding_, the former Despair Capture Movement was at the top of the list of people you'd expect to get special treatment in regards to ingredients and quality. In which case, Kirumi's restrictions had to be hastily adjusted, since she could potentially obtain chicken meat.

The reason this was important was because Kaede, Kirumi, Shuuichi, and Himiko had successfully managed to stop another imitation killing game by raiding the mastermind's hideout.

In the would-be mastermind's hideout was a cache of grape Panta, which was something hardly anyone had expected. Because, again, the world had ended. Who was making soda? How had they actually managed to procure soda?

The answer turned out to be an underground human labour ring. Which was an entire other matter entirely, so they called for backup to help sort out everything. In return for stopping both the human labour ring and an imitation killing game, saving both groups of victims in the process, the group was allowed to keep the snacks recovered from the mastermind's hideout. After data analysis proved they were all safe to consume, of course.

Now, the _problem _was... Kokichi had gotten banned from soda, under the assumption that none of them would ever find drinkable soda again until after the world recovered, which was the legal expiry date for all their bans. But now, they had drinkable soda, and it was even Kokichi's favourite flavour too! Kaede would be damned if she didn't find a way to manage to give it to him, ban or no.

Kaede had come up with two options. The first was just to blatantly ignore it, as it was just a silly joke they had all come up with. And while she knew no one could actually _stop_ her, hell, Miu would just laugh and encourage her to embrace her inner law-breaker...

Kokichi would say she was adorably straightforward and tease her for it. And, if having Kokichi in her life had taught her anything... okay, well, first he probably taught her to maybe step back and think a little, and also stop throwing herself in danger, and think of other people's feelings a bit more...

But somewhere along the line, he had taught her that there was a little bit of fun in teasing people. And while she wouldn't take it to the level of friendly insults he hurled at Rantarou, she still wanted to have a few surprises up her sleeve...

So that left the second option: sneak it into the group's fridge with no one noticing, along with an anonymous note saying it was for him.

Having convinced the other biker gang members to take a vow of secrecy, Kaede went to call the final member of the biker gang; Rantarou.

"Hey, um, Rantarou-kun? You're not with Kokichi now, right?"

It should be noted that she had completely forgotten that Rantarou was on computer duty with Kokichi, Kaito, and Kiibo. 

_"No, why?"_ Rantarou replied instantly, staring Kokichi in the eye as he said that into the transceiver.

"So, I need to keep something secret from him..."

Kaito and Kiibo exchanged a worried glance, as Kokichi began to smile.

_"What did you do?"_ Rantarou asked.

"...hey, it's not like I almost _died_ or something!" Kaede exclaimed defensively. "Don't jump to any conclusions! I didn't do anything!"

Kokichi's smile grew darker as she kept digging her hole deeper, completely unintentionally.

"Seriously," Kaede huffed. "I'm just asking you to _maybe_ help distract him or something... it's a fun, harmless surprise, and I did not break my arm or anything! I did nothing wrong!"

"Yeah, she's definitely in a cast," Kaito whispered to Kiibo.

"Somehow, I feel like Kaede-san is worse for Kokichi-kun's stress levels than work could ever be..." Kiibo replied, just as Kokichi took the transceiver from Rantarou's hand. Rantarou immediately reacted by shrugging and making a strange sound signifying, _'okay, please deal with this on your own now.'_

_"Sweetheart,_" Kokichi said in a sickly sweet tone that made even Miaya shudder, "_just what have you done this time~?_"

"U-uh, Kokichi!?" Kaede reacted with shock. 

_"Ah, forget it,"_ Kokichi replied in an _extraordinarily_ cheerful tone. _"Can you please hand the transceiver over to Shuuichi, darling?"_

"Kokichi, I swear, I didn't get hurt, _nothing happened_," Kaede said hastily.

_"Hand. The. Transceiver. To. Shuuichi," _Kokichi ordered.

Five seconds later, the transceiver was in Shuuichi's hands, as Himiko and Kirumi patted Kaede on the back and told her she did her best.

_"I was relying on you!" _Kokichi screamed. _"You're the sanest person in the entire group! You signed an agreement to keep Kaede out of trouble! **What the fuck happened?!**__"_

Shuuichi paused, because people normally tended to hesitate before the jaws of death.

"The worst she did was crash down a door with a motorcycle," Shuuichi stated honestly. "No broken bones, concussions, major bruising, large cuts, burns, electrical burns, drowning, asphyxiation, or other injuries."

_"You swear upon everything you hold dear that that's the truth?" _Kokichi asked coldly.

"Promise," Shuuichi replied. "The truth is... she just..."

He looked to Kirumi and Himiko for help, as Kaede non-verbally begged him not to, shaking her head and her hands vigorously.

Shuuichi's reply was a flat facial expression that all but screamed, _"you and I both know that hiding it from him of all people will only make everything worse!"_

"Man... what a pain," Himiko said with a sigh... "This is a dumb misunderstanding."

"Kaede-san wanted to prepare a simple **surprise gift** for you, Kokichi-kun," Kirumi explained, making Kaede let out a defeated groan. 

There was a pause on the boys' end, before Kokichi simply repeated, _"a gift_?"

"...yeah," Kaede admitted quietly. "That's why I wanted Rantarou-kun to help hide it from you..."

_"Oh, in that case, sure," _Rantarou answered.

"Dumbass, how much help would you be now?" Kaito asked, sending a flat stare Kokichi's way.

He was just the slightest bit flushed as he laughed.

_"Well~ I guess that's fine, Kaede!" _he exclaimed happily, a complete 180 from his previous anger. "_Be sure to surprise me!"_

Kaede laughed and promised she would, before her group said their goodbyes and hung up.

"I'm glad that ended well," Kiibo said.

"Mhm~!" Kokichi was now all smiles and happiness, Rantarou sighing as he tried to figure out how to get his transceiver back.

In this sort of chaos, even Miaya hadn't noticed what was going on onscreen. 

* * *

**Monokuma: **Feast your eyes upon the Twilight Syndrome Murder Case!

**???: **A video game? You _really_ think we'll kill over a _video game_?

**Monokuma: **If you want to figure out your lost memories, you might...

**Hinata Hajime: **...!


	26. Chapter 26

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i completely forgot dr3's version of events so IM MAKING UP MY OWN

"Our lost memories... are in this game?!" Hajime asked Monokuma desperately.

"Yup, of course!" Monokuma answered happily.

"Hold on, isn't it a bad idea to just _fall_ for this?!" Nekomaru demanded. "Even if it's our memories we're talking about, it's a motive for murder!"

"Maybe all of you can ignore it, but I barely know anything about myself!" Hajime snapped. "My name, my title, some random tidbits about skateboards and family... that's all _I _have! All of you have your memories of who you are, but I...!"

He cut himself off, clenching his teeth...

Their nameless classmate patted Hajime on the shoulder.

"I understand wanting to find your identity," they said. "And, if this game is really the key to unlocking some of our lost memories, then..."

"You're actually fucking tempted by some game that might not even be real?" Fuyuhiko asked.

"On the contrary, everything within the game _is_ completely true!" Monokuma exclaimed.

Ibuki watched as the others kept fighting, when Chiaki spoke up.

"Then, why don't we play it?" Chiaki offered. "All of us together."

"Huh...? Why would you suggest such a thing?" Gundham asked.

"You don't want another murder to break out, do you?!" Akane demanded.

Chiaki paused to collect her thoughts.

"Well, I was thinking... the unknown always seems scarier because you don't know what's in it. If we all play it together and learn the truth, then it might not be as bad as we thought."

"Upupupu, are you _suuuure_~?" Monokuma asked in return.

"...ah, you're still here," Chiaki said blandly.

"How cruel! You still don't appreciate my genius... I'll excuse myself if I'm so unwanted."

"Mind excusing yourself forever?" Teruteru asked.

"I'm sorry, did you ask for an execution?"

"No, no, that's fine, stay as long as you want!" Teruteru exclaimed hastily.

Monokuma huffed, before disappearing.

The game machine stood before them dauntingly...

Ibuki saw that no one could really move, everyone was just waiting for someone else to take the lead.

She made eye contact with their nameless classmate, who looked lost...

Then, she met Chiaki's eyes, the gamer smiling at her.

And, by her side was Hiyoko. Hiyoko, holding her hand, who kept telling her to just be herself, who told her not to feel guilty, who made her want to help the others.

With that in mind, Ibuki made her choice.

Letting go of Hiyoko's hand, she went up to the game cabinet with a bright smile.

"This is gonna be fun~!" Ibuki cheered, taking up the controls. "Come on, watch! Grab your friends, grab your snacks, 'cuz it's time for Ibuki's playthrough hour!"

"EH?!" was the general reaction as she started up the game.

* * *

_We open with a specific murder case._

_A tragic killing that occurred within the grounds of the academy that the girls attended._

_Based on their understanding of the crime scene, the police ruled that the incident was the work of a pervert who snuck into the school grounds._

_However, there was a secret behind that incident. Even before the janitor first discovered the body, there were students who witnessed the crime itself._

_The students were four high school girls._

_They didn't want to get involved in the incident, so they tried to hide the fact that they were the first to discover it._

_Several days after the incident..._

_One of the four girls, Girl E, is murdered by someone._

_What in the world happened at this once peaceful academy...?_

* * *

**1st Day**

* * *

**Inside the classroom - Afternoon**

**Girl D: **Oi, Guy H! How long are you gonna keep me waiting!?

**Guy H: **Ack, sorry! 

**Girl D: **Seriously... what a pain! What's your head good for if you're just going to space out all the time?! 

**Girl D: **One day, I'm seriously going to go to Guy F and tell him to make Girl G cut you up for pissing me off!

**Guy H: **Really... even if you _are_ yakuza, that kind of threat is a bit much, isn't it? I'm pretty sure that's why I'm the only one who talks to you, aside from your brother and, well. Girl G.

**Girl D: **Shut up before I make you.

**Guy H: **Alright, alright, fine...

**Girl D: **And, just so you know... you're paying for the parfaits I'm eating! Your fault for making me wait!

**Guy H: **Really?! My wallet's not going to survive your appetite!

**Girl D: **Oi, are you calling me a glutton?! I'm seriously going to have you gunned down!

**The pair walks by a group of girls...**

**Girl E: **Tch...

**Girl D: **What was that?

**Girl E: **Oh, nothing.

**Girl E: **Hey, Guy H. Want to hang out with us for the day? 

**Girl D: **We already made plans, skank.

**Girl E: **I wasn't asking _you_. I was asking the poor guy you shove around each day!

**Girl D: **Oi, if we wanna talk about unfair friend arrangements... how about the fact that you're just some **Reserve Course student** who makes herself feel better by hanging out with talented classmates!

**Girl D: **What, hoping that sucking up to them will make you any more talented or something?

**Girl A: **P-please don't fight...!

**Girl C: **Yeah, we shouldn't pick a fight with her... Girl E...!

**Girl B: **If you want to pick a fight with someone, there's a girl from my class who's a total loner loser who can't even fight back against anything!

**Girl E: **It's not like I just want to fight someone...! It's just... 

**Girl D: **What, you're jealous? That I'm awesome, that Guy H's awesome, and you're not?

**Girl E: **Shut up! Your talent... it doesn't even exist! You just made it up!

**Girl D: **I'll kill you!

**Guy H: **Girl D! That's, seriously, stop! 

**Girl D: **Hmph, fine.

**Girl D: **But I _will_ claw my way up there... whether you like it or not!

**Girl D and Guy H leave.**

**Guy H: **Is it really okay to make those sorts of bluffs...?

**Girl D: **It's not a bluff.

**Girl D: **So I can make my own place next to my brother... so I can make my family proud... I _will_ become an Ultimate, no matter what it takes!

**The camera shifts to a girl following after them...**

**Girl E: **...you... you can't. I won't let you hurt anyone...! I'll **protect** them!

* * *

Fuyuhiko and Peko were getting more and more unsettled as Ibuki played through the game.

* * *

**3rd Day**

* * *

**Guy H: **...

**Guy H is sitting alone on a park bench...**

**Guy H: **...she's dead. 

**Guy H: **It's been a day, but... it's not quite real... how could someone as strong as Girl D die?

**Guy H notices something moving.**

**Guy H: **Huh?

**Guy H: **...Girl E?

**Girl E: **It's her fault... it's her fault... it's her fault...

**Guy H: **H-hey, what are you talking about...!?

**Guy H goes to calm her down.**

**Girl E: **Don't touch me!

**Guy H: **Eh...?! Girl E, are you okay?

**Girl E: **You... you should have controlled her better! Stopped her from endangering everyone...! If you had, then none of this would have happened! 

**Guy H: **Are you... talking about Girl D...?

**Girl E: **Shut up! Shut up, shut up, shut up, shut up! Shut up about her! Shut up!

**Guy H: **What did you do?! What the hell did you do to her!?

**Girl E: **It's your fault, it's your fault, it's your fault...!

**Girl E: **For being so arrogant... for standing by idly as she made threats and scared people.... you're at fault! 

**Girl E runs off.**

**Guy H: **...

**Guy H: **Dammit...

* * *

"Hm...?" Ibuki stared at the screen as the camera switched over to Girl E.

She began swearing to herself that she would forget the incident, that she would move on, but...

** _"I will never forgive you."_ **

Those were the words that displayed onscreen, right before a blood-splattered GAME OVER screen.

"...what?" Hiyoko managed. "That made zero sense."

"_Five down_..." Ibuki read. "Did five people die from this...?"

Chiaki silently went up to the game machine, pressing the down button five times.

Activating the truth edition... the looks on Hajime, Fuyuhiko, and Peko's faces became indescribable. 

The truth before them turned out to be...

"Um, I still don't understand," Ibuki said, inappropriately cheerful in the somber mood.

Fuyuhiko and Peko seemed distraught, while Hajime patted his forehead, ruffling his **h8g4s@# **hair in the process.

"Essentially," the imposter started off, "Tsumiki, Saionji, Koizumi, and a girl named Sato were friends at the academy, while Kuzuryuu's sister was friends with Hinata. Kuzuryuu's sister had a history of harassing Koizumi and pushing people around, which made Sato hate her for being so arrogant just because her parents had power. Sato killed Kuzuryuu's sister in a rage, then Koizumi helped Sato cover it up, while Hinata underwent an **experiment** so that he could have the **power to intervene** if something ever happened again."

"Ah, I see, thank you!"

"Dumbass, don't get sidetracked when there's a situation here!" Hiyoko screamed.

"I... I don't understand," Hajime said softly. "Can I really... never recover my memories?"

"I failed to protect her..." Peko whispered...

Fuyuhiko swore under his breath.

Ibuki gasped when she saw it.

Her heart froze at the sight of Hajime's **bright red eyes**.


	27. Chapter 27

**Owari Akane: **...I gotta tell Souda about this, he missed out 'cuz of guard duty.

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **Yeah... alright.

**No one protests as Akane leaves.**

**Tanaka Gundham: **How strange... this was supposed to be a motive to kill, and yet, everyone's spirits were dampened instead.

**???: **Maybe the motive was prepared in advance, back when the person Kuzuryuu would be mad at was still alive...

**Nanami Chiaki: **That must be it.

**Tsumiki Mikan: **...w-what do we do now...?

**???: **For now? Rest. Let's discuss this information once again tomorrow morning, to ensure no one could commit a murder over it.

**The others disperse slowly...**

**The ones left are Hajime, Ibuki, and Hiyoko.**

**Mioda Ibuki: **...Hinahina-chan? Are you okay?

**a2@($JT 2jt0%#: **...

**Mioda Ibuki: **Ha~ji~me~chan~!

**Hinata Hajime: **O-oh, sorry. 

**Saionji Hiyoko: **What's up with you?

**Hinata Hajime: **...sorry, I just... need to be alone now.

**Hajime goes to leave...**

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(That expression...!)_

**Mioda Ibuki: **Hajime!

**Hinata Hajime: **Huh?

**Mioda Ibuki: **When you're feeling better, let's keep looking for your memories!

**Hinata Hajime: **...

**$6yas% t)2r^*: **There's no point. It's **hopeless**...

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(Wrong, wrong, something's wrong. His eyes are wrong. His voice is wrong. Stop! Stop it!)_

**Mioda Ibuki: **Hajime--

**Saionji Hiyoko: **You're gonna give up this easy, you spineless wimp!?

**Mioda Ibuki: **?!

**f2#!9I 2t9(@g: **?!

**Saionji Hiyoko: **Who said it was impossible, idiot?! Who said it was hopeless but you?! Dumbass!

**Saionji Hiyoko: **You wanted to do the surgery because you didn't want to be powerless, didn't you?! So why the hell are you **giving up** and doing nothing?!

**Mioda Ibuki: **Hiyoko-chan...!

**???: **...

**Hinata Hajime: **....

**Hajime goes to leave, lost in thought...**

**Saionji Hiyoko: **Coward! Get back here! You--!

**Mioda Ibuki: **Hiyoko, that's enough! Please, he's already gone!

**Saionji Hiyoko: **Tch, he better be! If I see him, and he's still weak-willed... I'll kick his ass! How dare he be some sort of SHSL Hope with that sort of attitude!

**Mioda Ibuki: **It's not like we can make him give up on giving up... it's his choice, right?

**Saionji Hiyoko: **Hmph. You really are too soft. 

**Mioda Ibuki: **Yep, soft hair, soft chest, and soft voice!

**Saionji Hiyoko: **...I'm not even going to address that.

**Mioda Ibuki: **Hey! Ibuki can be quiet!

**Ibuki and Hiyoko leave...**

**Received a Hope Fragment.**

* * *

**Ibuki and Hiyoko get to Nagito's cabin, but there are loud bangs and screaming from inside.**

**Mioda Ibuki: **?!

**Owari Akane: **Don't go in!

**Akane is bleeding...**

**Saionji Hiyoko: **What the hell is happening?!

**Owari Akane: **Komaeda, when he learned there was a motive to kill, he went _nuts_... he almost escaped, and me and Nidai and Souda had to hold him down, but then a bookshelf fell...

**Mioda Ibuki: **Then, I should--

**Owari Akane: **You can't. You seriously can't.

**Owari Akane: **Right now, he's gone completely insane... 

**Mioda Ibuki: **But he's a little bit fond of me, right? If I can talk him down, then I should at least try--

**Owari Akane: **Mioda! All you're going to do is get yourself hurt!

**Owari Akane: **I don't know _why_ you want to deal with him, but... he's not the type you can talk down with some pretty words! He's _dangerous_, and I'm not letting you hurt yourself just because you feel guilty or whatever!

**Mioda Ibuki: **...!

**Saionji Hiyoko: **...hey, are you really sure you want to talk to him? Because being with him just makes you sad...

_...?_

_> yes_

_> no <_

**Mioda Ibuki: **...if you're sure you can handle it...

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(I'm sorry, Nagito-chan... it seems like I'm a lying promise-breaker now.)_

**Saionji Hiyoko: **Hey, let's go to the diner! That diner that opened up on the second island! I want to try the food!

**Mioda Ibuki: **Okay!

**Owari Akane: **Sounds like fun! Mind if I join in when all this is under control?

**Mioda Ibuki: **You totally can!

**Saionji Hiyoko: **...fine, I guess.

**Hiyoko and Ibuki leave.**

**Owari Akane: **...phew... that was close...

* * *

**On the way to the diner, behind the pharmacy, Ibuki overheard something interesting...**

**She dragged Hiyoko with her to eavesdrop!**

**Tsumiki Mikan: **So... the person y-you've been trying to avoid is Pekoyama-san...

**Pekoyama Peko: **I apologize for being an unworthy tool...! I've failed to protect the young mistress... no wonder you wish to abandon me...

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **Hey! That's not it! 

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **I didn't avoid you because I was abandoning you... I just want you to be able to live out your own life, too!

**Pekoyama Peko: **Why would I need to do that? As long as I'm alive, I live to serve you.

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **I don't need a fucking tool! I want you to be by my side, as an equal and a friend! 

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **I want you to experience all the things that you never got to have growing up... all the things the Kuzuryuu Clan took from you!

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **Revenge is impossible, and we can't undo the past... so at least let me succeed in giving you that.

**Pekoyama Peko: **Young master...

**Tsumiki Mikan: **Excuse me.

**Tsumiki Mikan: **Um, I'm s-sorry to interrupt, but... if it'll make you happy, you can t-take your revenge upon me. I _am_ one of the people who helped cover up Kuzuryuu-san's sister's body, after all...

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **What?!

**Pekoyama Peko: **If young master wishes it...

**Tsumiki Mikan: **I'll be happy to help i-in any way! If it can help Pekoyama-san and Kuzuryuu-san, then I'll gladly--!

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **Stop it!

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **How many fucking times do I have to repeat myself, goddammit?! 

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **I **don't fucking want** either of you to degrade yourself or bow down to me! 

**Tsumiki Mikan: **Eh...?

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **At least for now, as long as we're on this island... act like we're all equals! Be friends or some shit! I don't care! Just stop with the revenge and the tools and whatever!

**Pekoyama Peko: **...alright.

**Tsumiki Mikan: **O-okay.

**Pekoyama Peko: **Tsumiki. Let's get along from now on.

**Tsumiki Mikan: **!!!! O-of course!

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(Wow! This game... it led to some good, after all!)_

**Tsumiki Mikan: ** _(...I... have two friends now! That's... wow...!)_

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: ** _(Well, I guess this is a start. Hopefully they can help each other out...)_

**Pekoyama Peko: ** _(Then, while we're on this island, I'll train Tsumiki to be a bodyguard. So we can work together as the young master's **sword and shield** once we escape.)_

**Saionji Hiyoko: ** _(Can we leave now?)_

* * *

"Ah~, I can't wait until we get to go home~" Kokichi said in a sing-song voice, a bright smile all but permanently affixed to his face.

"Please focus!" Kiibo exclaimed. "We have a job to do!"

"Well, it _is_ just watchin' a screen," Kaito replied. "And we can't even mess with the main computer, since tech support's going mad trying to figure out how to get past those defences..."

"Hey, Gekkogahara-san," Rantarou called out. "Is it possible to see their memories of despair?"

Miaya stared at him flatly.

"Why?"

"To be honest... I'm not too sure if his mind will survive long enough for him to recover," Rantarou stated. "And, well, he's the last person to have been with my sisters before they died."

"So you're anxious that part of his brain might be gone, or already going," Kokichi summarized, expression turning curious.

"Can you blame me?" Rantarou asked. "I'm not too into the idea of actually forgiving them. I just need that information."

Miaya's expression turned sour.

"Could we run a diagnostic on him to see how he's going?" Kiibo asked.

"Their memories of despair have been suppressed," Miaya stated. "Even if you check, they only have all their memories when they're in a dormant state."

"You mean, like death?" Kaito asked, eyes on the screen.

"Yes, like death," Miaya said. "Shirogane used our _'dormant'_ state as a placeholder in her killing games. You can't interact with physical items or '_awakened_' avatars, and you can only be _'reawakened'_ by an admin... It's supposed to make it easier to process every bit of information, but it's been used for this kind of purpose..."

And that was when Kiibo realized something.

"Usanami-san!" he called out. "Please answer me this!"

_"Yes, Kiibo-kun?" _the AI answered, appearing on the screen before them.

"How many students need to recover their memories of being in despair for Kamukura to win his game?!" Kiibo asked hurriedly.

_"With the exception of Master himself, and Nanami-san who doesn't have any... seven," _Usanami answered.

"And, with two people in the _'dormant'_ state, that means we have two outta seven," Kaito said.

_"No. It's three," _Usanami replied.

"...what?" Rantarou asked.

_"There are three people in the dormant state," _Usanami said.


	28. Chapter 28

"A pool party?" Chiaki repeated, looking up from her game.

Their nameless classmate nodded, saying, "as a way to bolster everyone's spirits after the game."

Chiaki paused, shutting her eyes as she checked the lines of code that made up their world.

_'They hid the body... they're trying to avoid a class trial,' _Chiaki realized, expression souring. _'It's already been an entire night, and no one has noticed yet... if we wait too long, we might actually skip over the death entirely, so how do I get people to find the body without making myself suspicious?'_

She thought it over, then decided.

_'Let's play along for now, then,' _she thought, smiling up at her classmate. 

"Sure. I'll gather everyone. You can find Monomi-chan and ask her for everyone's swimsuits."

"Alright. Let's work together so that everyone can have a fun time," they replied.

"I'm looking forward to it," Chiaki said in return.

Saying those sort of truthful, deceptive words, Chiaki went ahead.

* * *

"She's surprisingly ruthless for a therapeutic program," Kokichi noted.

"What makes you say that?" Miaya asked.

Kokichi directed her attention towards Chiaki's discussion with Ibuki.

* * *

**Mioda Ibuki: **Huh...? The pool?

**Nanami Chiaki: **Yeah... I'm not too sure if all of us could fit in the same pool... maybe if we all climbed on top of each other like a pyramid?

**Saionji Hiyoko: **There'd be drownings, idiot!

**Nanami Chiaki: **Hmm... then, what could we do? Imposter-san is already getting our swimsuits... 

**Nanami Chiaki: **Somewhere we can swim, but **bigger**...

**Mioda Ibuki: **Ah! Maybe the beach?! 

**Mioda Ibuki: **We could enjoy the sand and the glimmer sea... the sun, the waves... the more Ibuki thinks, the more perfect it gets!

**Saionji Hiyoko: **Hm~ not a bad idea, for this horned weirdo.

**Nanami Chiaki: **Then, it's settled. I'll tell everyone to meet at the **second island's beach**.

* * *

"I mean, she just effortlessly directed everyone towards the location of the body," Kokichi stated. "All in a way that lets her direct the attention towards Mioda and Saionji if the question comes up."

"Well, in our killing game, the mastermind threatened to punish all of us if we could not find the body," Kiibo recalled. "She could have learned of the content of the games and thought that they might suffer the same fate if things went on..."

"Hm, I wonder..." Rantarou said. "It depends on whether or not the mastermind is the same kind of impatient, arrogant person Shirogane was, right?"

It was then that Kaito realized something. 

"You think Nanami could know who the mastermind is? Since she can see the code and stuff?"

"Hmm, probably," Kokichi answered. "But, either this game makes more people remember or die, or Kamukura remembers. Either way, it resets and no one's dead."

"She's probably taking the time to investigate and determine how to stop what's happening," Miaya said.

Rantarou was silent, watching as Chiaki avoided answering the question of the Komaeda crew's absence, letting Teruteru suggest that they had simply refused because they had their hands full. The others accepted this answer, knowing just how bad Nagito could get, though Ibuki looked doubtful...

The beach party began, and she suggested a treasure hunt, with everyone looking for the coolest shells and hidden objects. 

Hajime managed to see it first, while diving underwater. At the bottom of the sand, there was an oddity in colour difference between the sand and what seemed to be cloth... 

Using the abilities of the SHSL Swimmer and SHSL Weightlifter, he managed to extract the strange object and lift it to the surface...

It was a large object, wrapped in layers of cloth.

The others were excited about his massive find, until they opened it to find Komaeda Nagito's dead body.

"So," Rantarou started off as the body discovery announcement played in the simulation, "is now a bad time to ask to see his memories?"


	29. Chapter 29

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> good news! i fucking snapped! take this!  
<https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Fanfic/IWontLetYou>u  
feel free to help with the editing! actually, please help with the editing i dont know anything

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **So basically... there's literally only three suspects, because the guy was guarded day and night, and only his guards aren't here.

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(Unless... the bookshelf that fell... did he cause it to fall on **himself**...?)_

**Nanami Chiaki: **Let's investigate before jumping to any conclusions.

**???: **According to the Monokuma file, his only injury is a **blow to the head**.

**Hanamura Teruteru: **And the three guarding him were all physically strong...

**Tsumiki Mikan: **.......

**Mikan examines Nagito's body...**

**Mioda Ibuki: **We need to see his cabin. Now.

**Saionji Hiyoko: **But, since they're so strong, if they decided to get in our way...

**Tanaka Gundham: **Never fear! Tanaka Gundham will ensure their defeat!

**Pekoyama Peko: **I'll go as well.

**Hinata Hajime: **Me too.

**Hanamura Teruteru: **I'll stick here. I'm a bit curious about this sheet...

**???: **I'll investigate the water.

**Nanami Chiaki: **Good luck, you guys. We'll stay here and keep investigating where we found the body.

**With those three, Ibuki and Hiyoko go to investigate Nagito's cabin...**

**Mioda Ibuki: **...!

**When they get there, they find Nekomaru and Kazuichi on the ground!**

**Owari Akane: **...so. You came, huh?

**Owari Akane: **If none of you can stand trial, none of you can vote for me.

**Saying that, Akane rushes forward!**

**Pekoyama Peko: **Go! 

**Peko blocks the strike with her sword. Akane flips off the weapon to attack Gundham, but Hajime pushes him out of the way...**

**Saionji Hiyoko: **Move! Come on!

**Hiyoko pulls Ibuki towards Nagito's cabin.**

**Owari Akane: **Stop!

**Akane rushes to beat them up, but Gundham yanks her back with his scarf!**

**Tanaka Gundham: **You shall not escape!

**Saionji Hiyoko: **Come on!

**Ibuki runs with Hiyoko into the cabin, shutting the door behind them...!**

**Inside, they find books shattered all over the floor, the bed bare, and blood splattered in several spots on the floor... there's one bloodstain on the wall, too.**

**Mioda Ibuki: **...

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(I broke my promise... and now, I can't ever keep it... Nagito-chan...)_

**Saionji Hiyoko: **...Mioda?

**Mioda Ibuki:** He died before he could really change. For good, and... repentance...?

**Saionji Hiyoko: **You mean, to repent for Koizumi and Nevermind?

**Mioda Ibuki: **Yeah... that must be it...

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(My head feels weird... my heart is racing... and I feel **sick**.)_

**An announcement plays.**

**It's time for the next class trial.**

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(I'm sorry...)_

**Saionji Hiyoko: **Let's go already. 

**Hiyoko grabs Ibuki's wrist roughly, dragging Ibuki back into reality. **

**Mioda Ibuki: **Yeah. I'm coming.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so anyways, fun facts:  
\- everyone has the same set of casual wear since future foundation-assigned, along with the same pyjamas, but angie and the kids helped everyone customize theirs  
\- korekiyo spends a lot of time watching over the recovery of mikan's patients, but his sister is refusing treatment, even when it's in the form of sweets...  
\- one time kaede and kokichi got dragged into helping the book and document preservation centre because kaede visited for a piano book, they got distracted by book stacking, and then they were convinced to just help out.  
\- there have been hairstyling competitions in the group before. everyone loves styling maki and tenko and korekiyos hair. kokichi absolutely refuses to cooperate unless kaede's the one styling his hair. gonta is trying his best.  
\- the first time kaede got drunk, she decided to go home because she missed kokichi. they were drinking at home. he was just talking to kiibo and kaito. they had to stop her from leaving the building by accident  
\- masaru got terrified because of the smell of alcohol but kokichi managed to calm him down because he understood  
\- jataro isnt quite comfortable going without his mask, because he likes everyone and doesnt want their eyes to rot because of him. angie helped him make another mask, but they also tell him that hes really cute and handsome. hes slowly getting comfortable enough to go without it  
\- rantarou teaches the kids math.  
\- nagisa learns from ryoma because he needed proof ryoma had been a teacher.  
\- kotoko likes learning about insect trivia now, because gonta  
\- monaka wants to make robots like kiibo so kiibo wont be lonely. she made a prototype with miu but she made the prototype small and cute and now shes too emotionally-attached to mini-kiibo help  
\- angie works on paintings of everyone in her downtime. she says it will help atua protect them  
\- kirumi has made biker jackets for everyone. shuuichi is so concerned.  
\- tenko is now a permanent part of training time. she has declared kaito her student while he declared her his sidekick.  
\- himiko has managed to convince the kids that magic is real. even nagisa.  
\- miu and kaede separately talk to tsumugi sometimes. miu talks to her about everyday stuff like complaining about coworkers and the upcoming public wedding  
\- ruruka insisted on planning the wedding bc her dream of having a magical wedding was shattered by the apocalypse. she wants them to be happy with their friends, and also for the wedding of the heroes of the future foundation to help boost morale


	30. Chapter 30

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i would like to send a cordial thank you to kiibouma fans for NOT TRYING TO KILL ME

"So, uh, Akane-chan..." Ibuki started off, blatantly staring at the sight. 

Akane had been tied up with Gundham's scarf and Peko's sword bag, knots everywhere... Hajime had used his own tie as makeshift handcuffs for her, having tied her to her trial stand the moment the trial began. It was amazing she could stand upright with how her legs were bound as well.

"Wow, she's just like Monomi!" Monokuma said with a laugh.

"Usami!" the rabbit corrected, which only made Monokuma taunt her more.

"This is very _interesting—_"

"Shut up," Hajime said instantly, cutting through Teruteru's words.

Akane tried to bite through her bindings, which made Gundham cry out in horror. 

"How dare you attempt to ruin the garments of the Ruler of Ice?!"

"Shut up...! If I can get free and kill you all before you vote...!"

"Actually, there's a rule against killing more than two people," Monokuma said.

"Huh?" Hiyoko was a bit confused. "Why?"

"Isn't it boring if you could just kill everyone and avoid a trial? Limiting the amount of victims means it'll be dragged out a lot longer, too..." Monokuma trailed off, giving a huge smile.

"Dammit...!" Akane cursed, still struggling... 

"Are w-we really safe?" Mikan asked. "If she escapes..."

"She won't," Hajime assured them. "Even if she bites through a section, it's meant to stay together."

"Impressive..." Chiaki muttered.

"Where the hell did you fucking get that kind of skill?!" Fuyuhiko asked.

"How should I know?!" Hajime replied.

"I think we can become good friends," Teruteru said.

"Shut up!"

"Hey, um, do you mind if we like, talk about... you know, Nagito-chan's _death_?" Ibuki asked.

"Can we even have a proper discussion when Souda and Nidai are both unconscious...?" Peko wondered, staring at the two carelessly draped over their trial stands.

"They'll join in when they wake up!" Monokuma declared.

"...do we even need to wait that long?" Hiyoko wondered. "After all, she's admitting to being the killer and also _trying to murder us_. Is that not enough to vote for her?"

"No," Chiaki answered. "We can't jump to assumptions. If we do, everyone might die...!"

"Then, let's all talk!" Ibuki declared. "We _have_ to find out what happened to Nagito-chan! What happened **inside that cabin**!"

* * *

"...wait a sec," Rantarou said, expression troubled. "There's a rule against that...?"

"What's wrong?" Kaito asked as Kiibo and Miaya looked through Nagito's memories.

"There was no such rule in Shirogane's killing games," Rantarou stated. "And I remember. Three people pulled off a victory that way."

"Well, if everyone died, the simulation would reset right away," Kokichi noted, watching them put together the pieces in the screen, Akane screaming and resisting the entire time. 

The sheet Nagito was wrapped in were his bedsheets, the scene was consistent with Akane's statement the previous day of Nagito resisting and the struggle causing a bookshelf to fall on him. The only question they had was which guard was the one to have been fighting him the most, something they couldn't answer. Not while Akane was so hostile to them, not while the others were unconscious.

"Stretching it out leads to more chances to remember, huh?" Rantarou offered. 

"I wonder if that's the only reason," Kokichi said softly.

"As long as someone remembers, all this pain and misery will go away, won't it?" Kaito asked. 

"If that's the case, then why bother with this killing game...? Wouldn't sticking to the therapeutic high school plan give a better chance of recovering Kamukura's memories?" Rantarou asked. "Why make them go through a killing game if they're all going to come back?"

"I wonder if we could understand what Usanami-chan's thinking..." Kokichi said, leaning back in his chair, linking his hands together behind his head. "Kiibo-chan, you got any magic robot powers to tell us?"

"Don't get me mixed up with with Himiko-san!" Kiibo retorted. 

Kokichi laughed as he apologized, something that led to Kiibo declaring that he wasn't apologetic at all.

Rantarou was absentminded, eyes still drifting over to Miaya and Kiibo, so Kaito was the one who saw the drama in the courtroom.

* * *

"Owari was the one who was injured and bloody, right?!" Hiyoko screamed. "The way she's acting is fishy, she knocked out the people who could testify against her, and even kill us so we couldn't vote...! It's obvious she's the killer, isn't she?!"

"Is it really so obvious?!" Ibuki shot back. "I mean, we all thought Mikan-chan was obviously the killer, right?!"

Mikan whimpered at the reminder, though she couldn't speak up to stop the argument dominating the courtroom.

"Why else would she be struggling so hard, then!? Why else would she knock out the other two guards if not to keep them from incriminating her!?"

"I don't know!" Ibuki exclaimed. "But I won't be able to rest until we find out the **truth** behind Nagito-chan's death!"

"We've pieced together the evidence, but our only current witness is someone who has every reason to **lie**!" 

"Then why rush?" Chiaki asked, breaking into their discussion. "When the two wake up... let's ask them."

"No...! No!" Akane roared. 

She struggled harder, until—

-she broke the top of her trial stand into pieces, letting her shred through Hajime's tie!

Hajime's eyes widened as she used her hands to rip through her bindings. He didn't predict this at all...!

"My garments! Not the holy road of silk!"

"Please don't kill us!" Mikan begged, as Peko immediately pulled out her wooden sword!

"Move one step and you'll be cut down!" 

Akane bristled at those words...

"You don't need Souda and Nidai!" Akane declared. "They're just going to lie and say they're the killer... but _I_ was the one who pushed Komaeda into that damn bookshelf! It fell on the two of us! And when I woke up, he was already dead!"

"Oh, you admit it," Teruteru said blandly. 

"Is that really how you fucking react to a confession of guilt?" Fuyuhiko asked.

"I mean, she _has_ been saying she's the killer this entire time," Hiyoko pointed out.

"You acted overly hostile and suspicious so we would rightly suspect you," the imposter stated, "all because you thought Souda and Nidai would protect you?"

"He... said he was the killer," Akane said, teeth clenched as she held her hands in fists. "But I **know what I did**. I won't let him say he's the killer just to **protect** me! Not when I'm the one who killed him—!"

"Aw man... I just wake up, and you're all screaming out of your asses....?"

The room froze at the sound of the masculine voice.

"Urgh... my head..." Kazuichi groaned as he stood up, using his trial stand as support.

Nekomaru laughed boisterously as he got up, loudly asking, "what, did you expect a sneak attack to put me down for long?"

Akane's eyes widened, before she immediately jumped to attack—!

Someone screamed and ducked for cover...

** _"I'm not falling for that again!"_ **

"Gragh—!"

Akane fell to her knees.

"Dammit... you don't need to **protect** anyone! I told you, I'm the one that killed him!"

That voice came with a finger pointed at the downed Akane.

"You were knocked out by the books, so you wouldn't know... but Komaeda managed to **fall towards the wall**. That's when I decided to knock him out by bashin' his head into the wall!"

Akane struggled to stand, to shut him up so he couldn't incriminate himself any more...!

"I didn't know that it would kill him.... I didn't mean to, but who gives a damn!?"

Souda Kazuichi slammed his hands into his trial stand!

"There's no way I could let you take the fall! So quit trying!"


	31. Chapter 31

"That's a lie!" Akane screamed, forcing herself up to one knee. 

"As if I would lie with everyone's lives on the line!"

"...looks like our plan to hide the body didn't work out," Nekomaru said softly. "Sorry, Souda."

"Nidai!" Akane grabbed onto the wrecked remains of her trial stand, forcing herself up. "Why are you helping him act like he's—"

"I got there before you woke up," Nekomaru stated. "And I saw that Komaeda's body was propped up against the wall, not under the books like you."

Akane's breath came out in a shaky whimper as Nekomaru logically explained, "if it was suicide, the three of us would have set off the Body Discovery Announcement. If you were the killer, he'd be under the bookshelf with you. That means, the only person who could be the killer is—"

"Stop it!" Akane shrieked. 

"It's obvious who all of you have to vote for, right?!" Kazuichi demanded.

"...yeah, it is," Chiaki said, casting her vote.

"Why does this keep h-happening...?" Mikan asked, sobbing. "Wh-why do we keep having to vote for people who didn't mean to kill just to survive...?"

"Dammit, screw this game...! This sick game!" Fuyuhiko roared. 

"If you were selfish, it'd be easier," Teruteru said. "If you meant to, if you actually betrayed us, it would be so much easier..."

"We won't forget you," Peko promised.

"Nagito..." Ibuki muttered under her breath.

"Damn that bastard," Hiyoko hissed.

"Sorry, Souda," Hajime said softly. 

"Knowing you has been an honour," Gundham declared.

Kazuichi laughed, before his voice cracked.

"This... is terrifying," he admitted. "I don't want to die... I don't want to throw myself under the bus for other people again..."

"Souda!" Akane screamed. "Don't you dare give up! Don't you dare just lay down and die! You—!"

"Heh, but if Koizumi could do it... then I can too. I wouldn't dream of asking my classmates to die for my sake," Kazuichi said.

"The votes have come in!" Monokuma announced happily. "With all but one correct vote, you got it! The killer is Souda Kazuichi!"

"No! Stop!" Akane cried out!

"I'm ready!" Kazuichi declared, putting on one last mask of bravery. "Come at me with all engines revving!"

"Let's give it everything we've got! It's **punishment time**!"

Akane's voice echoed through the courtroom!

** _"SOUDAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"_ **

Repressing tears, Kazuichi grinned as the collar came for him.

Akane tried to push him out of the way, but, with her stunned state, she was too slow to manage it—

-In her place, Nekomaru grabbed the chain in his hands!

"I won't stand by idly!" the coach exclaimed!

But the chain moved on its own... it fought against Nekomaru's grip, stretching and twisting... 

Instead of the collar closing around Kazuichi's neck, the chain looped around his throat, tightening and dragging the two of them towards the execution!

* * *

_SHSL Mechanics's Execution_

_BOOM! Complete Battleground Devastation!_

* * *

The pair were deposited on a peaceful beach, with plenty of palm trees before them, incredible blue waves behind them.

That was when Monokuma appeared.

He waved towards the pair, causing a squadron of Monokuma bots to emerge from the trees! With sniper rifles, with machine gun turrets, with bombs...

Kazuichi began shaking at the sight, when the ground began to rumble.

Something incredibly, immensely large moved towards them...! Mowing down the trees, crushing Monokuma bots, a giant tank emerged!

Monokuma snickered, before counting down.

Three... two...

As Monokuma waved the last count, Nekomaru threw Kazuichi behind him!

He thought he was saving Kazuichi, but...

He threw Kazuichi into the waves, where a great white shark took jumped up from the waves to sink its teeth into Kazuichi's flesh! The shark beached itself, immobile on the sand as Monokuma called for his army to shoot.

Kazuichi's screams mixed with sobbing as gunfire sounded out, all trained on him and him alone. 

The last thing he saw was the tank firing, a glorious flash of light, before a large shadow threw itself in front of the blast...

But Kazuichi had already lost too much blood to be saved, even if Nekomaru saved him from the finishing blow.

* * *

"NIDAI!" Akane screamed.

"Damn you!" Monokuma exclaimed, enraged. "My perfect shark fin soup! You ruined it!"

Mikan rushed to help Nekomaru, but...!

"I don't... What do we do...!?" Mikan screamed. "This is too serious...! We need a hospital!"

"Where are we going to find one?!" Teruteru demanded. "We only have a pharmacy!"

"Back off, asshole!" Fuyuhiko jumped in.

"We don't have the medical supplies needed to save him..." Hajime said.

"If... if _you're_ the one saying that, then..." their nameless classmate trailed off in horror.

"Don't worry, he can die!" Monokuma exclaimed happily. 

"Stop it!" Ibuki screamed.

"He can't," Chiaki said urgently. "We have to do something..."

"He committed a crime against the headmaster!" Monokuma insisted. "My soup has been ruined thanks to him!"

Chiaki's eyes were furious as Monomi spoke up.

"The school rules say that **only the blackened** will die from an execution! If you were to allow an innocent student to die, then you will violate your own rules!"

Monokuma paused.

Monomi managed to convince him, despite him hating every bit of it.

Everyone... was tired, scared, mournful, and anxious as Nekomaru was wheeled off in an ambulance.

That was how the second trial came to a close.

With another innocent, unintended killer being sent to the gallows and an injured friend...

...

...

........

* * *

Obtained **Soft Beanie**!

A memento of Kazuichi. It's his favourite because it helps keep his hair out of the way while he works.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh yeah take this  
https://rainbow-unicorn-banzai-party.tumblr.com/post/187236076670/long-story-short-in-i-wont-let-you-the-maxed


	32. Chapter 32

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjyc9XTtC2Q>
> 
> IVE DECIDED THAT THIS IS THE ANTHEM

Ibuki couldn't sleep.

She stayed in her cabin, in an endless, endless loop of feeling the need to scream, to escape, the run, followed by the crushing reminder that she _couldn't._ She couldn't move, she couldn't sleep, she could only stayed trapped in her own thoughts. Her own guilt...

The morning after the trial, Ibuki could barely suppress her yawns. But she got up at the earliest possible time that could be considered acceptable morning hours.

She got to the dining hall long before the morning announcement, adding two things to their memorial.

Kazuichi's beanie went with a photo of Mahiru. Nagito's hoodie was draped over the back of the signboard.

"...it keeps growing," Ibuki whispered to herself quietly.

She decided to go back to her cabin and get some sleep, before her paths crossed with someone else's.

"Good morning!" Ibuki exclaimed.

"Good morning," the boy replied in a soft, robotic voice.

Ibuki didn't like the sound of that.

"**H@jim3-c#an**!" Ibuki cried out. "Today, let's hang out! I mean, we can do so much together!"

"Is that so?" he asked, almost _impassively—_

"We can go and eat something great! Teru-chan made a meal for me before, so maybe we could get him to make another! Or, or, we can play on the beach! Explore! Or hair-styling! You know!"

She smiled at him brightly, determined to bring back the person she _knew she saw_ in him.

"Since you have such long, beautiful hair, it's perfect for braiding!"

He... didn't react at all...

"Or, you could show me how to skateboard! I promised to help you remember, didn't I!?"

That was when Hajime's eyes widened.

"Yeah... you did," he said, almost uncertainly. Almost as if he forgot about it until she brought it up.

"Will you?" Ibuki asked, a small, hopeful smile appearing on her face from the hint of emotion he showed.

Hajime laughed.

"I'm not sure if I'll be a good teacher, but sure."

"Hajime-chan!"

"Oof—!"

Ibuki hugged him tightly.

"Stay here," Ibuki pleaded softly, so soft, she didn't know if he would hear her. "Don't let your voice die."

"Mioda?" Hajime asked.

Ibuki smiled brightly as she pulled away.

"Let's go get breakfast, Hajime-chan!"

"Sure."

"WHAT THE HELL IS THIS," another voice demanded.

Ibuki looked down and saw Hiyoko.

"Oh, good morning," Ibuki said.

Hiyoko was about to scream, and Ibuki knew this, and didn't want this, so she picked the smaller girl up and threw her over her shoulder. Like a sack of potatoes.

"Let's all go eat together~!" Ibuki sang.

"PUT ME THE FUCK DOWN YOU STUPID--!"

"....okay. This, sure."

**Received a Hope Fragment!**

* * *

The group collectively decided to explore the new island that opened up.

They had found a hospital, but when they investigated, Nekomaru was nowhere to be found. Instead, Monokuma came and told them that Nekomaru was in a special, super intensive care unit.

They decided to keep looking for anything that could help them escape.

During that investigation, Ibuki and Hiyoko paired up.

Ibuki watched as Akane went off, her incredibly low spirits being matched with Gundham's terrible attempts at speaking to her. 

Mikan, Fuyuhiko, and Peko managed to settle into a trio, leaving Teruteru with their nameless classmate. Chiaki and Hajime were the last group.

Hiyoko was unusually quiet as they walked around the movie theatre together, enough that Ibuki just _had_ to figure out what was going on!

"Hiyo-chiyo-chan! What's up!?"

Hiyoko gave her a flat stare.

"What are you doing."

"What~?"

"Why the hell are you posing on the counter with popcorn?" Hiyoko asked.

"Well, if you don't want any, it's nom nom nom time for me!" Ibuki exclaimed, tossing some popcorn into her mouth.

"You're so--!"

"So...?" Ibuki echoed.

"Weird," Hiyoko concluded. "I mean, why the hell would you mourn for _Komaeda_...?"

Ibuki's eyes widened.

"Don't try to deny it," Hiyoko said instantly. "You're the only one who would add anything of his to the memorial."

Ibuki's expression became strained...

"Hey, Mioda," Hiyoko called out, looking up at Ibuki. Her eyes were piercing... "Why?"

Ibuki paused, before her smile turned bittersweet.

"All the deaths so far were because I didn't stop him," Ibuki said simply. "That's all."

"Bullshit!" Hiyoko screamed. "He acted on his own! You had no way of knowing anything he would pull!"

"That's not an excuse!" Ibuki retorted, crushing her popcorn bag in her hands, causing the food to spill out...

"I don't understand you!" Hiyoko declared. 

Then, her voice got quieter, her eyes grew sadder, and she said again, "I don't understand you."

Ibuki broke off their eye contact, keeping her gaze to the floor.

"Why do you keep _insisting_ on blaming yourself...?" Hiyoko asked. 

Ibuki's thoughts didn't make sense at that time.

She understood Hajime a bit more, with her confusion.

Because, mixed in with the rest of her thoughts, were something that could only be called **'memories.'**

They weren't strong. Ibuki didn't remember a lot, but... 

_'I should have stopped them from falling into_ **8@&hg$**'

_'I should have seen this coming.'_

_'Good morning!'_

_'One day, they'll listen.'_

_'I'm alone.'_

_'Who's next? The friends you don't have?'_

_'I should have helped everyone... befriended them before--!'_

_'It's all my fault.'_

_'It's all my fault.'_

**'It's all my fault.'**

Ibuki's response was simply to smile once again.

"Don't worry about me, okay? It's Ibuki's job to liven up the party!"

Hopping off the counter, Ibuki did a twirl before tossing her popcorn into the trash.

"Hey, hey, we passed by that music venue place, right? Maybe we can do a concert there! Come on, Hiyoko-chan!"

Saying that, she snapped the mask back over her face and locked it in place.

"Mioda--!"

"This game will get to you," Ibuki said, taking Hiyoko's hand with a laugh. "That's why, Ibuki won't let it."

She smiled and smiled, refusing to break, crack, or bruise.

"I won't let anyone fall into despair!" Ibuki declared, building a promise on the ground of half-forgotten regrets. "Not now, not ever!"

Hiyoko realized then, that Ibuki had no intention of protecting herself.

Any pain she felt, she would say she deserved. Anything that happened to her, she would shrug away with a smile.

And Hiyoko... didn't want that. Because this girl that argued for other people's sake, this girl who loved everyone, this girl that helped her with a smile, was someone so good that the world shouldn't tarnish her.

That day, while Ibuki promised to protect the others from despair, Hiyoko made her own promise.

To protect Ibuki no matter what.

...

...

..............

**Got a Hope Fragment!**


	33. Chapter 33

* * *

**FREE TIME START**

* * *

**Owari Akane: **Dammit...! 

_Cheer Akane-chan up?_

_> Yeah <_

_> No_

**Mioda Ibuki: **Akane-chan! You wanted to teach Ibuki how to fight, right?

**Owari Akane: **Yeah, I did. You taking me up on it?

**Mioda Ibuki: **Ibuki just wanted to ask why first. You know, since fighting isn't that common outside of like, boxing rings and stuff...

**Owari Akane: **?! You're kidding, right? 

**Owari Akane: **Ahahahaha! You've got a sick sense of humour, Mioda?

**Mioda Ibuki: **Hey! Ibuki might look funny, but she's no clown!

**Owari Akane: **Are you serious?! You're seriously saying you never fight?! I thought this before, but you're too weak!

**Owari Akane: **When punks try and take your money every time you go home, do you just hand it over?! When some asshole wants to beat you up, do you just take it?! When some perv wants to--

**Mioda Ibuki: **Whoa, whoa, whoa, wait, why are you acting like this is an everyday thing?! People don't rob you every time you go home, right?!

**Owari Akane: **...

**Mioda Ibuki: **..........w...wrong?

**Owari Akane: **Are you saying... that you _don't_ get harassed every time you...

**Mioda Ibuki: **No! I don't! Go to the police!

**Owari Akane: **It's pointless. The police never come to my area. 

**Owari Akane: **The only one who can **protect** me and my family is me. And you are the only person you yourself can rely on for protection.

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(Akane-chan... what sort of life did you **have**?!)_

**Received a Hope Fragment!**

* * *

**Tanaka Gundham: **Curses and chaos abound in this unholy land...

_Hang out with Gundham-chan?_

_> Yupperdoodles! <_

_> Nuh-uh!_

**Mioda Ibuki: **GUNDHAM-CHAN~!

**Saionji Hiyoko: **Eh... what's going on with this racket?

**Hiyoko joined in!**

**Tanaka Gundham: **Mioda. You have earned the title of one who stays by my side, and such, you must be bestowed a title. Be honoured!

**Mioda Ibuki: **Okay.

**Tanaka Gundham: **Now, in order to create a fitting name, we must take some precautions...

**Mioda Ibuki: **Okay, let's brainstorm!

**Saionji Hiyoko: **Pass. This is stupid.

**Tanaka Gundham: **Well, if you would like me to create a grand and glorious title from your achievements, I must first know what those achievements are...

**Mioda Ibuki: **Huh, wait, Ibuki has a notebook, hold on?

**Saionji Hiyoko: **HEY. 

**Mioda Ibuki: **Yes?

**Saionji Hiyoko: ***sniffle* ...d-don't ignore me.... Big Sis Ibuki...

**Mioda Ibuki: **...who are you?

**Saionji Hiyoko: **What?! Are you stupid?! Do you not recognize my cuteness?!

**Mioda Ibuki: **Oh, there she is. Don't scare me like that, Hiyo-chan. 

**Tanaka Gundham: **Yes, it _was_ abjectly terrifying...

**Saionji Hiyoko: **Shut the fuck up!

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(We settle into a discussion of my personality so Gundham can make an accurate astral projection of my title... I think he might have just tricked me into divulging information about myself, though.)_

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(Well, I wouldn't mind if you asked outright, but if you're awkward about it, this way is fine too.)_

**Got a Hope Fragment!**

* * *

**Mioda Ibuki: **Huhhhh? What's this?

**Pekoyama Peko: **A training session.

**Tsumiki Mikan: **I-I'm going to do my best...!

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **Be careful with that knife!

**Saionji Hiyoko: **Is this really going to be okay...!?

_Hang out with Fuyu-chan, Mikan-chan, and Peko-chan?_

_> (^o^) <_

_> (>M<)_

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(Mikan-chan does her best to swing her new knife like Peko-chan wants, but she's so jittery...)_

**Ibuki and Hiyoko watch Mikan and Peko train, Fuyuhiko sitting with them on the sidelines.**

**Saionji Hiyoko: **Why are you guys doing this sort of thing?

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **Self-defence training. You know, in case there's a murder or something.

**Mioda Ibuki: **Wow! You two care about Mikan-chan a lot!

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **...it's the least I can do, alright? Since I was pushing so hard for Tsumiki to be the killer, I almost got us all killed... Making sure she survives and makes friends is my repentance. 

**Saionji Hiyoko:** Does she see it like that...? She's smiling as she's swinging that knife around...

**Mioda Ibuki: **Hmm, hmm, are you _sure_ you don't care~? Not even a _little_ bit~?

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **Shut up.

**Saionji Hiyoko: **Man, what a fricking tsundere.

**Mioda Ibuki: **HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **What the hell?!

**Pekoyama Peko: **What's happening over there?!

**Tsumiki Mikan: **Mioda-san?! Are you okay?!

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(Crap, crap, this is too hilarious! I gotta see what happens when I leave two tsuntsuns alone together!)_

**Mioda Ibuki: **Pekopeko-chan! Please train me too~! Ibuki wants to know!

**Pekoyama Peko: **I... If you insist...

**Saionji Hiyoko: **Eh? What's the point?

******Pekoyama Peko: ** In order to cut down what must be cut, we must strengthen our bodies. In order to protect what must be protected, we must strengthen our hearts.

**Pekoyama Peko: **That is what it means to be devoted.

**Saionji Hiyoko: **...!

**Saionji Hiyoko: **Then, let me join too—!

**Mioda Ibuki: **Eh?!

**Pekoyama Peko: **...you're too small to use most of the techniques I'll be teaching. Maybe in a few years.

**Saionji Hiyoko: **Fuck you!

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **Yeah! Height shouldn't matter in an exercise of the heart!

**Pekoyama Peko: **E-eh? I suppose, if it's an order, I can _try_...

**Tsumiki Mikan: **Ehehehehe... it's like exercising together in gym class...! I never got to experience this before!

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(Peko helps us all learn some self-defence techniques. Fuyu-chan joined in since he felt a bit left out... hehehe! A total success!)_

**Got Hope Fragment x 3!**


	34. Chapter 34

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> updates might slow down because university prep. maybe. i think.

It was a concert for fun.

It was to honour the dead, help everyone smile and be together... Their nameless classmate helped round everyone up and make sure no one was missing, to prevent another murder, another death. 

It was fun.

The music venue was filled with loud, heated cheers. Filled with passion and love and heat.

Heat...

Hot... so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so hot...!

Ibuki tried to keep playing, but...! The heat was overwhelming...

Her overheating body crashed into the crowd, the last thing she saw being Hiyoko's panicked, screaming face.

* * *

It was explained it to Ibuki carefully. Monokuma had infected her with a disease with strange, strange symptoms. It was unique for everyone. The imposter claimed they were everyone from Togami Byakuya to Cleopatra. But, Ibuki really had to be careful of Gundham.

Gundham had quietly announced his intention to kill everyone to become the undeniable victor of the game. It took five seconds for him to try and kill Hajime with a chair for everyone to realize he was serious.

Ibuki was told to be careful around Gundham. She had to not be alone with Gundham. She had to tell someone right away and run if Gundham was out of his room.

Ibuki listened to all those instructions. She was good at listening.

She trusted them. All of them. 

If she listened, then she never had to make another choice on her own. And because she trusted them, she knew they wouldn't tell her to do bad things. If she listened, then she would never have to think _'it's all my fault'_ ever again.

It was fun to listen! 

Ibuki listened and learned that Hiyoko, Fuyuhiko, Teruteru, and Peko would be helping Mikan with the hospital. Peko was there to keep Gundham from going insane. Fuyuhiko would help Mikan personally. Teruteru would make healthy food for them. And Hiyoko was there for Ibuki. The others would stay at the motel. 

Teruteru fed her good food for listening like a good girl. Ibuki liked that feeling. Ibuki liked listening. She liked being sick. The hospital was fun!

So... why did Hiyoko look worried while she was taking care of her...? Was she not having fun? Oh no... Ibuki didn't want that...!

"Hiyoko, what do you want me to do?" she asked like a lost child. "I'll do anything to make you happy again."

"Then get better," Hiyoko told her.

"Huh? Okay," Ibuki answered. "But why? I like being sick. It's easier to not think and just listen to everyone."

"I don't care if it's easier," Hiyoko stated. "I want _you_ back."

"Why?" Ibuki asked. "When I'm not sick, I'm annoying. And I mess up. And I'm not perceptive enough. And I can't save anyone. And it's all my fault. When I'm sick, it's not!"

She pouted and pouted and pouted as she spoke, Hiyoko looking more distraught. Why?!

Ibuki was trying to make her happy!

"I'm sorry if I'm not listening good enough. I'm trying my best to make you happy. Please tell me what you want me to do."

That was when Ibuki got an idea.

"Will it make you happy if I died?" Ibuki asked innocently.

"No!" Hiyoko exclaimed instantly. "You can't die."

"I can't?" Ibuki echoed.

"You can't die," Hiyoko reaffirmed, and Ibuki nodded. That, she could do.

"That will make you happy?" Ibuki asked.

"...yeah. It would."

But, Hiyoko still looked so sad...

"I'm sorry, Hiyoko... I can't make you happy..." Ibuki said softly. "Do you want me to go away? So I can't make you sad?"

Hiyoko shook her head.

"No. I want you to stay," she said. "I'll stay with you."

"You promise?" Ibuki asked.

"Yeah," Hiyoko said, taking Ibuki's hand in hers. "I won't leave you. I won't be killed, and I won't be executed. I'll protect you."

Ibuki smiled and believed those words.

"Go to sleep and rest," Hiyoko ordered. "You'll get good dreams."

Ibuki listened and nodded, before nodding off...

* * *

"Dammit...!" Hiyoko swore, eyes watery as she left for her cabin... "Why can't I protect anything...! My dad, and now her...!"

She lifted her hands to her face to wipe her tears, only to pause at the sight of her hands.

"This body..." she said. "It's so small... so _weak_...! How am I supposed to protect anyone like this...?!"

* * *

Exactly one night later, Hiyoko walked into the dining hall with a bright smile.

"Sup, bitches?"

"What the fucking hell?!" Fuyuhiko demanded in horror.


	35. Chapter 35

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> my friend told me that kiibo cant sing and this is one of the only things i know about him in canon

**Tsumiki Mikan: **Well, u-um... Imposter-san and Mioda-san seem rather harmless... it's Tanaka-san that's worrying me. H-he keeps trying to escape and commit murder...

**Owari Akane: **Don't worry. I'll watch over him.

**Saionji Hiyoko: **Don't whack him too hard. 

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **If you did, you could kill him, and we'd have to go through another execution.

**Owari Akane: **...yeah. I'll try and control my strength.

**Hinata Hajime: **Then, let's do our best.

**The group goes off to work, unaware of the watcher from the shadows.**

* * *

**Usami glitches into an area inaccessible to most of the students.**

**Most of them.**

**Usami: **I'm baaa~aack!

**Nanami Chiaki: **So, what did you learn?

**Usami: **It seems that the others are slowly warming up to Master!

**Nanami Chiaki: **...

**Nanami Chiaki: **Hm, I thought that his appearance and aura would scare people off, but... maybe seeing Mioda-san treat him as kindly as ever made the others treat him normally...

**Usami: **Master might recover his memories!

**Nanami Chiaki: ** _(The game almost made Kamukura-kun give up on his memories and **revert**, but Mioda-san and Saionji-san managed to give him hope again...)_

**Nanami Chiaki: ** _(That's right... Kamukura-kun's memories are returning, just like Mioda-san's.)_

**Usami: **I was right to trust you! Because, we are achieving our goal while hurting as little people as possible!

**Nanami Chiaki: **Yeah, we are.

**Nanami Chiaki: ** _(Because our goal is to protect everyone.)_

**Nanami Chiaki: ** _(I'll f**orce those memories to the surface** so we can reach the reset we need!)_

* * *

"Time to clock out~!" Kokichi sang happily. "A happy, happy surprise awaits~!"

"Huh. Surprisingly good at holding a note," Rantarou noted.

"We could be idols together!" Kiibo declared, making Kaito give him a baffled expression.

"Like, singing idols?" Kaito asked for clarification.

"Yes, I am certain that singing is part of an idol's duties!"

"No way, I'd just steal the spotlight!" Kokichi joked. "Come on, look at this cute face and tell me I wouldn't!"

"Hey, wait, no! You can't do that!" Kiibo protested.

Just as Rantarou was going to make a joke about including Kaede in their music group, the next group entered with an unmistakably murderous aura.

Most of it coming from Korekiyo.

Maki, Kirumi, and Angie didn't even try to lighten up the sudden dark, heavy atmosphere.

"...it's not going well?" Kaito asked.

Korekiyo's gaze was cutting as he sat down where Kokichi had sat before.

They knew that Korekiyo's sister was among Mikan's victims undergoing rehabilitation, but, she had been refusing her meals lately...

"She attempted to break out," Korekiyo said simply, eyes instantly going to where Mikan was on the screen. "Apparently, Tsumiki is the only person she'll trust and love."

The nurse was scrambling to take care of all her patients, panicked and anxious and _innocent_.

Korekiyo laughed as Mikan collapsed of exhaustion, Fuyuhiko rushing to help her to a bed.

"Pardon me, but is it alright if I enjoy this?" Korekiyo asked. "I personally want to see vengeance happen upon them."

No one knew how to answer that.


	36. Chapter 36

Ibuki listened very well. She listened to the person asking her to leave her bed in the middle of the night and go over to the music venue. She did exactly as was requested of her, without a second thought. 

She didn't like the blood, but she followed orders as a good girl would. She didn't like the cuts, but her thoughts didn't matter.

Ibuki's hearing let her notice the sound of the door opening wide and the gasp of horror quickly.

_ **"I won't forgive you for this!"** _

* * *

Teruteru had woken up early and decided to head over to the hospital with the patients' breakfast. When he got there, he noticed the empty beds.

In a panic, he got everyone he ran into to help search for them.

Hajime was the first to find the bodies. 

Inside the music venue, bodies were laying on the stage like the end of some sick, tragic play.

One, a girl with dark hair and bandages on her limbs, blood staining her chest.

Two, a girl with stripes of colour in black hair, bruises over her body.

Three, a girl curled up on the floor, blonde hair tacky with blood, a knife sticking out of her throat.

The others came. The body discovery announcement played.

Fuyuhiko tried to see Mikan's body, but that was when Monokuma stepped in.

"The truth is... it seems that one third of this trio is the odd one out!" Monokuma declared. "In what way, you ask? Well, in terms of life and death!"

"What are you saying?!" Hajime demanded.

"It's simple!" Monokuma exclaimed, dropping a set of curtains over both Mikan and Ibuki. "One of these beauties needs to be taken to the hospital to be treated... the other will be left as-is!"

With a chime, they all received their Monofiles...

While Hiyoko was definitively listed as _'DEAD'_ in their profiles, both Mikan and Ibuki were labelled _'???'_... and the description of their injuries never mentioned whether or not they died from said injuries.

With that, Monokuma left them to investigate their first true murder.

* * *

Korekiyo was laughing at the sight. He had been laughing throughout the entire in-game night. It was creepy and slightly annoying.

It was then that Angie decided to bring him back to earth.

By slapping him.

Kirumi and Maki thanked her for it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay, before you scream, please consider:  
all three people involved in chapter three are main characters. what was i supposed to do, not play with it?


	37. Chapter 37

**Hinata Hajime: **...

**Hajime checked the Monokuma file.**

**Hinata Hajime: ** _(Saionji has cuts on her hands, along with the neck wound that killed her. Mioda had a few smaller cuts on her fingers, but no major cuts. Her injuries were mostly from **a large impact, as if she had fallen to the floor **and one **smaller, but more serious bruise on her head**, like she was hit with some sort of small, blunt instrument... and Tsumiki... hm?)_

**Hinata Hajime: ** _(She doesn't have any cuts on her hands. Her only injury is the stab wound in her chest.)_

**Monokuma File** ** added to Evidence.**

* * *

**???: **Hanamura. You were the first to notice their disappearance. What happened?

**Hanamura Teruteru: **Well, I went over to the hospital to bring the patients their breakfasts... **you and Tanaka-kun were still there**, but Mioda-san wasn't there... I looked around for her, but I noticed that Tsumiki-san was gone from the on-call room as well...

**Hanamura Teruteru: **I knew something was wrong! I mean, neither one of them had even **touched the dinner I had left for them**...!

**Hanamura Teruteru: **I went to look for them, when I ran into Hinata-kun and the others. Hinata-kun was the one to find their bodies.

**???: **I see...

**???** ** added to Evidence.**

**??? added to Evidence.**

* * *

**Akane is frustrated...**

**Owari Akane: **Dammit...! Don't toy with us...! At least tell us which ones are dead, you asshole...!

**She paces around, trying to think of what she can do to help... but she slips on some of Mikan's blood and falls off the stage!**

**Owari Akane: **...! 

**Akane gets up easily, noticing Gundham rush after his hamsters.**

**Owari Akane: **The hell are you doing...?

**???** ** added to Evidence.**

**???** ** added to Evidence.**

* * *

**Peko and Fuyuhiko are investigating Hiyoko's body.**

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **...

**Pekoyama Peko: **Young Master?

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **...

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **Found this fan under her body. It's got a stab hole in it.

**Pekoyama Peko: **...understood.

**Another moment of silence.**

**Pekoyama Peko: **I'm sorry I couldn't protect Tsumiki.

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **Stop that. The only person who failed was me. Again.

**Pekoyama Peko: **Young Master...

**It goes quiet...**

**Peko noticed something while looking at the bloodstains...**

**And...!**

**Pekoyama Peko: ** _(This knife...! It's the one I gave to Tsumiki!)_

**???** ** added to Evidence.**

**???** ** added to Evidence.**

**???** ** added to Evidence.**

* * *

**Chiaki watches on...**

**Nanami Chiaki: ** _(Now, Mioda-san's memories...)_

**rj3%$2! added to Evidence.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> everyone's truth bullets!  
\- monokuma file: belongs to hajime. describes the wounds each girl had.  
\- ???: belongs to imposter. obtained after talking to teruteru.  
\- ???: belongs to akane. obtained after falling off the stage...  
\- ???: belongs to teruteru. obtained after checking the hospital again.  
\- ???: belongs to gundham. obtained after letting the four dark devas of destruction follow hiyoko's scent.  
\- ???: belongs to fuyuhiko. obtained after investigating hiyoko's body.  
\- ???: belongs to peko. obtained after investigating hiyoko's body.  
\- ???: belongs to peko. obtained after investigating hiyoko's body  
\- rj3%$2!: belongs to chiaki. ibuki was the one person most likely to recover her memories...


	38. Chapter 38

**???: **So... the matter of who attacked the three of them... can we assume that those afflicted with the Despair Disease were too delirious to be proper suspects?

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **Fuck no.

**???: **Huh?

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **In case you've fucking forgotten, we've got a guy whose disease was attempting to murder everyone! 

**Hinata Hajime: **You mean, Tanaka?

**Tanaka Gundham: **You would dare to accuse your celestial overlord of such a petty crime...?!

**Pekoyama Peko: **You attempted to attack several other members of the group under the influence of the Despair Disease. Isn't it only natural that suspicion would fall on you?

**Owari Akane: **If he had **escaped during the night**...!

**???: ** I must interrupt!

**???: **Hanamura, didn't you say that Gundham was **still in his room** by the time you got there in the morning?!

**??? revealed to be Teruteru's Testimony!**

**Hanamura Teruteru: **That's right, but...

**Nanami Chiaki: **Hmm... it wouldn't stop him pretending he was in his room the entire time, right?

**Tanaka Gundham: **True. In fact, that is what I would expect someone as cunning as I would do.

**Hanamura Teruteru: **Hold on a sec!

**Hanamura Teruteru: **No, no, I don't think it's possible. 'cuz, I had to be the one to feed Tanaka-kun his dinner last night, but neither Mioda-san nor Tsumiki-san ate their meals... 

**Hanamura Teruteru: **Tanaka-kun was still **restrained** by the time I left the hospital, but they seem to have left long before that!

**??? revealed to be Untouched Dinner!**

**Owari Akane: **You just _didn't notice_ two people leaving?!

**Hanamura Teruteru: **H-hey, the others were capable of eating on their own! And I saved Tanaka-kun for last, since, well, he kept trying to escape and kill me!

**Nanami Chiaki: **So, Tsumiki-san and Mioda-san disappeared while Hanamura-kun was distracted because of Tanaka-kun...

**Hinata Hajime: ** _(Why then, of all times...? Wouldn't it be too risky? What if Hanamura **saw them leave**...?)_

**???: **But, it's strange... If the killer planned this all out... why would they have three victims? 

**Owari Akane: **Huh...? Why's that strange? Wouldn't you want to kill everyone you could so less people could vote for you?

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **You mean, like you did.

**Owari Akane: **Shaddap.

**???: **Could the peanut gallery not sidetrack this discussion? 

**???: **Anyways. There's a rule against killing more than two people. Why would someone try to kill all three?

**Pekoyama Peko: **Then, are you suggesting that there were some sort of unexpected circumstances?

**Nanami Chiaki: **But, even if something unexpected popped up, it's still against the rules to kill more than two people.

**Hinata Hajime: **Then, what if **only the three of them were involved** in this?

**Owari Akane: **So, if one **killed the other two and then herself**...

**Hanamura Teruteru: **No, but one of them is alive, but injured, right? It could just be that she got **injured in the process**...

**Tanaka Gundham: **Perhaps... **a third walked in on a murder attempt**?

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **That's damn right!

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **We can figure out when Tsumiki and Mioda left the hospital, but Saionji's movements are a total unknown... all we know is, when she got there, she obviously didn't get a warm welcome!

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **In fact, she got a knife to the face for her troubles!

**???** **revealed to be Stabbed Fan!**

**Hanamura Teruteru: **Then, either Tsumiki-san or Mioda-san was trying to kill the other one, when Saionji-san interrupted the attempt!

**???: **But, which one is it? How can we tell who had the knife?

**Hinata Hajime: **That's it!

**Hinata Hajime: **If we look at their injuries, it should become clear!

**Hajime presented Monokuma File!**

**Hinata Hajime: **Both Saionji and Mioda had cuts on their hands, while Tsumiki and Saionji had stab wounds elsewhere. Mioda's bruising is more in line with someone who fell from a certain height than a beating.

**Owari Akane: **When you're holding a knife, your hands wrap around the handle, not the blade... so that means Tsumiki's the one who owns the knife, right?

**Pekoyama Peko: **I'll cut in!

**Pekoyama Peko: **Yes, and no...

**Pekoyama Peko: **I gave that knife to Tsumiki for self-defence, but, when stabbing someone with a knife, it's common for the blade to **slip in the blood **and **create cuts on the attacker's hands as well**.

**??? revealed to be Peko's Knife!**

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **So that means that Tsumiki's the only one who couldn't have handled that knife, got it?!

**Tanaka Gundham: **Even though the weapon was originally tied to her soul... you're suggesting that she never used it?!

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **Of course she didn't use it, dumbass! Use your fucking head, would you?!

**???: **Then, Mioda must have stolen the knife from her somehow, and, in trying to attack her, got interrupted by her best friend...

**Hanamura Teruteru: **But, if Mioda-san had the knife, why does Saionji-san have cuts on her hands too?

**Nanami Chiaki: **Well, stabbing hurts... probably. If someone was trying to stab you, you'd try and protect yourself, right?

**Hinata Hajime: **...!

**Hinata Hajime: **Then, why doesn't Tsumiki have any defensive wounds...?! She got stabbed too!

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **She... probably didn't want to hurt a patient, even if it was a matter of life and death... that _dumbass_...

**Tanaka Gundham: **But... wasn't _I_ the only one inflicted with murderous intentions...? Why would the musical one do such a thing...?

**Pekoyama Peko: **Maybe she was waiting for a chance to strike, after hiding her intentions under a harmless facade of obedience...

**Nanami Chiaki: **The motive doesn't really matter, as long as the facts all make sense. Why don't we go over it again?

**???: **I suppose so...

**Hanamura Teruteru: **While I'm feeding Tanaka-kun, Mioda-san and Tsumiki-san leave. I'm assumin' Mioda-san snuck out and Tsumiki-san followed her, but that's all conjecture.

**Hinata Hajime: **They get to the music venue and have some sort of fight while they were there. 

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **Tsumiki pulled out the knife to defend herself, but...

**Pekoyama Peko: **Because of her fear and inexperience, Mioda easily steals it from her.

**Tanaka Gundham: **Behold, the truth of the Pandemic Eye!

**Tanaka Gundham: **The bag Saionji brought with her, the bag that the Four Dark Devas of Destruction found by following the road of Saionji's scent... it was all filled with playthings and instruments!

**???: **Huh...? So the reason Saionji was there...

**Nanami Chiaki: **She must have worried that Mioda-san was feeling sad, and brought things she would have liked with her... but, when Mioda-san wasn't at the hospital, Saionji-san got worried and started looking for her...

**Owari Akane: **And then... Mioda shanked Saionji too. 

**There's a moment of silence in the courtroom....**

**Owari Akane: **Or, well, I'm assumin' that's what happened. Why don't we just ask Mioda?

**Hinata Hajime: **...huh?! 

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **Hold on! Why do you think she's the one who survived?!

**Owari Akane: **Ain't it obvious?!

**Owari Akane: **A fall from a stage won't fricking kill ya! I'm living proof of that! Compared to the stab wounds, isn't her bruising easier to stand up from?!

**Pekoyama Peko: **...

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **...

**Monokuma: **Upupupupu... that line of logic is totally sound! In fact, it's totally correct!

**Monokuma: **Mioda Ibuki did not die of her injuries! Here she is!

**A trapdoor opens, and Ibuki appears, still in her hospital gown, still with cut up hands...!**

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **...shit...!

**Pekoyama Peko: **I failed to protect another....!

**Hinata Hajime: **Mioda? 

**Mioda Ibuki: **...

**Nanami Chiaki: **Hey, Mioda-san? What do you remember happening?

**Mioda Ibuki: **...

**Mioda Ibuki: **Ab~so~lu~te~ly~ no~thing~☆!

**Hinata Hajime: **WHAT.

**Mioda Ibuki: **...eh? Oh, it seems that was a lie. Right, Hiyo-chan?

**Owari Akane: **...Mioda?

**Mioda Ibuki: **Hehehehe~! That's right! It's a secret between me and Hiyoko-chan! 

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(.......*3hF^j2{]9A)_

**5E(*@&%J: ** _nor*74mal ">{GIRL} i(t w A@S FU*&N hU4&(rts w?h?y? wh__@ts happ en0:|{]>_________

**Ko*!#)_+: ** _I' ll pr80te ct k e e p (G1OING)_

**KA@*#^%:** _Is thi(S #13!$t ru ly th(_+e limi+t of your h(@ope_

**S0##*RH: ** _d&A$SH O_n aall sy%#STEMS R**UN_ING_

**SIA9%68:** _pR o m1se.... __p%43rotected yoU pleas#3 d0^T bl4AME --S+ELF_

**Mioda Ibuki: **Ahahahaha.... ahahahahahahahahahahahahah_ahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha**hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha**_**-**-!


	39. Chapter 39

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **Is this chick going to be okay...?! She's emotionally unstable!

**Mioda Ibuki: **Wow, that's super mean! Fuyu-chan, why would you say that? I'm gonna cry and cry and _cry_...

**Komaeda Nagito: **Don't worry, Mioda-san. You can overcome this easily! Just trust your heart and keep moving ahead with your hope!

**Souda Kazuichi: **Hell no! Stop talking! You don't get to influence any of this!

**Komaeda Nagito: **It's alright! Even if everyone dies, the hope that will emerge will be amazing!

**Koizumi Mahiru: **No...! If everyone dies, what good will our deaths be?! 

**Mioda Ibuki: **Hey, Mahiru-chan, Kazu-chan, don't worry! It's fine! Because, this way, we can be friends together! Forever!

**Hinata Hajime: **...Mioda...? Who are you talking to...?!

**Mioda Ibuki: **Don't be rude. They're right here.

**Pekoyama Peko: **...will we get any information out of her at all...?

**Sonia Nevermind: **Mioda-san...! Stop it! Snap out of it! Please!

**Mioda Ibuki: **Ahahahahahahaha! It's fine! 

**Mioda Ibuki: **The person who killed Hiyoko-chan and Mikan-chan was me. 

**Owari Akane: **A... a confession?! Out of nowhere?! 

**Hanamura Teruteru: **That's... is that it...?

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **Hey! Answer me! Why the hell did you do that?! To someone who was taking care of you, and your best friend...!

**Mioda Ibuki: **Huh? Huh? Did Ibuki ever say that Hiyoko-chan was her best friend? Did Ibuki ever say she really cared about Hiyoko-chan?

**Koizumi Mahiru: **That's not true!

**Mioda Ibuki: **She didn't, right? She didn't. All the times Hiyoko-chan tried to encourage me, or scolded me or yelled at me or argued with me... it's annoying! It's annoying how Mikan-chan was so kind! That's why...

**Souda Kazuichi: **Stop lying to everyone...!

**Mioda Ibuki: **Ibuki... killed them. With no regrets.

**Sonia Nevermind: **You... you can't be...! You can't be trying to get everyone executed...! No!

**Komaeda Nagito: **Ahahahahahahaha! So this is what you've chosen!

**Mioda Ibuki: **_Ahahahahahahahaha_! That's the truth!

**???: **I won't believe that! I can't believe that you, who helped me try and unite everyone, could be so...!

**Mioda Ibuki: **So. So? So, so, so, so, so, _so_...? 

**Mioda Ibuki: **Do, re, me, fa, so....?

**Saionji Hiyoko: **Quit it already!

**Mioda Ibuki: **Huh...?

**Nanami Chiaki: **Mioda-san! Please, just tell us what happened! 

**Tanaka Gundham: **If not, then we will all perish...!

**Saionji Hiyoko: **Is that what you fucking want, Mioda?! Do you want everyone to die?!

**Mioda Ibuki: **...that's... I...

**Koizumi Mahiru: **You... you sang a beautiful song... I loved your playing that last time, at the party... you sang for everyone.

**Sonia Nevermind: **Even if I had a terribly short time here, I enjoyed it. The time as a normal girl, in a normal classroom, with normal friends... and you created the introductions that made it happen.

**Souda Kazuichi: **Even if it's scary... I didn't die just for you to send everyone to their graves after!

**Komaeda Nagito: **Well, Mioda-san? What's your choice?

**Mioda Ibuki: **...

**Ibuki starts to tear up.**

**Mioda Ibuki: **It's not fair...It's not fair not fair not fair notfair notfair notfair notfairnotfairnotfairnotfairnotfair...

**Mioda Ibuki: **I... don't want this... I don't want to keep smiling when my friends are dying... I don't want to be scared of bodies turning up... I don't want people to keep dying... I don't want to keep going...!

**Mioda Ibuki: **All I want is for everyone to be happy together! So why...! Why did this have to happen....!

**Saionji Hiyoko: **Mioda. Calm down.

**Hinata Hajime: **Please, just breathe...!

**Mioda Ibuki: **How am I supposed to stay calm...?! You're _dead_! 

**Ibuki collapses to her knees, head in her hands.**

**Saionji Hiyoko: **Ibuki!

**Mioda Ibuki: **!

**Saionji Hiyoko: **I promised you, didn't I?! Don't you remember it!?

**Mioda Ibuki: **...you... won't leave me... you won't be killed, and you won't be executed....

**Saionji Hiyoko: **Yeah. That's right. 

**???: **Did you finally calm down?

**Mioda Ibuki: **...yeah.

**Nanami Chiaki: **Hey, Mioda-san. Do you know the truth of this case?

**Mioda Ibuki: **...Mikan-chan asked me to come with her to the music venue, so I did. She wanted Teru-chan to see us, but I didn't ask why...

**Sonia Nevermind: **You chose to protect everyone...!

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **Huh?! You're saying that she was the one who...?!

**Mioda Ibuki: **Mikan-chan gave me a knife and told me to stab her with it. As hard as I could. But, when Hiyoko-chan showed up, I messed up and missed completely.

**Pekoyama Peko: **Why... why would she do that?

**Mioda Ibuki: **I don't know. All I know is that, Mikan-chan told me to keep trying. And Hiyoko-chan came between us, so I couldn't stab Mikan-chan. She let me stab through her fan so she could steal the knife from me... and then she shoved me over the stage and I hit my head. I don't remember anything after that.

**Owari Akane: **Hey, wait... if that's true, and both of them were still alive when Mioda passed out...!

**Tanaka Gundham: **Then, she cannot possibly be the killer!

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **Hold on! Wait, that can't be fucking true! Why would Tsumiki try and commit suicide like that?!

**???: **Perhaps she had simply... gotten tired of it all, just like Mioda.

**Owari Akane: **No, isn't that too **out-of-character** for her? She cared so much she worked herself until she fainted...

**Pekoyama Peko: **...wait. 

**Pekoyama Peko: **That time she fainted from fatigue... wasn't her temperature strangely high?!

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **You mean, that fever **wasn't** from overworking, but--

**Hanamura Teruteru: **Tsumiki-san must have also caught the Despair Disease...!

**Hinata Hajime: **And because of that, she must have wanted to die...

**Nanami Chiaki: **Then, which one was the killer? If Tsumiki-san wanted to die, she might have been willing to face execution, but Saionji-san... 

**Nanami Chiaki: **She wanted to protect Mioda-san, didn't she?

**Mioda Ibuki: **...

**Saionji Hiyoko: **...hey. Ibuki. You know the answer, right?

**Mioda Ibuki: **...Hiyoko...

**Saionji Hiyoko: **Who do you think killed Tsumiki?

**Mioda Ibuki: **...

**Ibuki's tears begin to flow again.**

****Sonia Nevermind: ****Mioda-san... be strong.

**Koizumi Mahiru: **Shh... it's okay. It's okay. It's all okay.

**Komaeda Nagito: **Are you going to fall apart here? 

**Souda Kazuichi: **Come on! She's already dead! It's not like she can be executed!

**Koizumi Mahiru: **Souda!

**Saionji Hiyoko: **What? It's true. 

**Saionji Hiyoko: **I promised, right? I would **never be executed**.

**Mioda Ibuki: **...Hiyoko. Hiyoko's the one... you killed Tsumiki and yourself.

**Hinata Hajime: **Right, since Tsumiki doesn't have any wounds on her hands from holding the knife.

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **Hold on! You want me to accept this?! You want me to accept that, the kind, lonely girl who worked herself to the bone for others... was trying to get killed in a way that made Mioda the killer?!

**Pekoyama Peko: **...young master, I'm sorry.

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **Peko...?

**Pekoyama Peko: ** The only conclusion...

**Pekoyama Peko: **Saionji's blood... the blood splatter around her body and on her clothes is mostly made of circular droplets, ones that could only be made if the person bleeding was bleeding straight down, completely still. 

**Owari Akane: **Right, of course the swordswoman would know.

**Pekoyama Peko: **They can't be made in a life or death struggle. They can't be made if someone else was trying to kill her. That means...!

**Nanami Chiaki: **The person who stabbed Saionji-san was Saionji-san herself.

**??? revealed to be Blood Splatter!**

**???: **So... we can all vote for Saionji.

**Hanamura Teruteru: **...ah... even though there won't be an execution... I don't want to.

**Mioda Ibuki: **I'm sorry, Hiyoko... I'm sorry.... because you protected me...

**Ibuki can't see the others anymore...**

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **But... why? Why did this happen...?!

**Owari Akane: **It must have been because of the stupid Despair Disease! Because of that, she must have done it!

**Monokuma: **Are you suuuuuuure?

**Monokuma: **You shouldn't be too quick to assume. Especially when you can just ask her yourself!

**Pekoyama Peko: **What?!

**Hinata Hajime: **Hold on a second! Didn't you say that only one survived?!

**Monokuma: **Another terrible assumption! I never said that! I only said that one third was different from the others! That third was Saionji Hiyoko, the only one who was dead!

**Mioda Ibuki: **Wait! If Mikan-chan's alive...! Then Hiyoko died for nothing!

**Monokuma: **The one who was left as-is is Mioda Ibuki! And now, after some treatment in the hospital, is Tsumiki Mikan! 

**Mikan appears with a burst of confetti.**

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **Tsumiki!

**Pekoyama Peko: **You're alive...!

**Tsumiki Mikan: **...

**Tsumiki Mikan: **Ah...! It didn't work! Dammit!

**Hinata Hajime: **What...!?

**Tsumiki Mikan: **How dare you...! How dare you still be alive!

**Tsumiki Mikan: **Mioda Ibuki...! How is it that, even now, you're killing innocent people!?


	40. Chapter 40

"Killing innocent people...?" Ibuki echoed, eyes wide with horror.

"Don't even try to deny it," Mikan snapped. "I was lucky. My symptoms... they didn't cloud my judgement or make me act unhinged. All they did was reveal my **memories**."

"What kind of fucking memories would make you do something so stupidly... reckless?!" Fuyuhiko demanded.

"Nevermind-san. Koizumi-san. Komaeda-san. Souda-san. Saionji-san," Mikan listed off, "they're dead because of this situation. The situation a traitor from the World Ender caused."

"...no....!" the imposter whispered. "No, you cannot be saying that she's—!"

Ibuki couldn't even defend herself.

"Mioda-san...! You are the traitor!" Mikan declared. "That's the **truth** of it all! The truth is, you were part of the organization that spread **despair** around and ended the world!"

In the world beyond their reality, Korekiyo began to laugh, and laugh, and laugh...

Even when he stopped, Monokuma was there to help fill in.

"Upupupu... are you sure about that?" 

"Of course I am!" Mikan exclaimed. "This class... these friends, they're the first I've ever had! I'll do anything to **protect** them! Anything to make sure the traitor dies!"

"You were trying to get Mioda executed...!" Peko realized.

Chiaki bit at her lip.

"Then, she's really...?"

"Is that true...?"

"But, it's Mioda..."

In the midst of those whispers, Ibuki almost became overwhelmed. She wanted to run and cry and scream so badly. It was so much, the words almost became white noise to her.

But instead, Monokuma cut through those words, forcing Ibuki to hear him. She didn't even get the mercy of shutting down.

"Too bad! Mioda Ibuki is **not** the traitor!" Monokuma announced, forcing Mikan's eyes wide.

"What?! How the fuck do we know that's not a lie?!" Fuyuhiko demanded.

"In the first place... how can you really believe something like a Remembering Disease, anyways?" Monokuma asked in return. "Isn't that too weird? Wouldn't it be more like the Delusional Disease?"

"..." Ibuki said.

"..." Mikan said.

Monokuma laughed. 

"You idiot! Because of your stupidity, someone completely innocent died... combined with your intention to kill yourself and Mioda Ibuki... that makes three!"

"Hold on!" Hajime interjected. "What are you talking about?!"

"Why, Tsumiki Mikan's punishment, of course! Killing more than two people is against the rules!"

"Wait, waitwaitwaitwait, no!" Teruteru screamed. "No, we voted for Saionji-san! She didn't... she can't be punished like a killer!"

"What the hell?!" Akane demanded. "I'll bash your head in!"

"Accursed being...! How much will you...!"

"This is a stretch, isn't it?!" the imposter exclaimed. "She didn't actually kill anyone!"

Mikan looked up at Monokuma, then to Ibuki, and simply said...

"I'm sorry."

"Tsumiki!" Fuyuhiko screamed. "Don't you dare just give up! I won't let you die like this!"

"I... I'm sorry..." Mikan whispered, crying. "I'm sorry.... I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry...."

"Wait...! Please just kill me instead!" Ibuki pleaded. "Please, just execute me in her place!"

"I won't let you die!" Peko declared, pulling out her sword. She was ready to cut down the chained collar in an instant if needed.

"Let's give it everything we've got!"

"I'm sorry...! I'm sorry, Mioda-san, Saionji-san, e-everyone...!"

"I won't just stand by and watch someone die again!" Hajime announced, moving to protect Mikan.

** _"IT'S PUNISHMENT TIME!"_ **

Mikan's protectors moved to prevent her from being dragged off, but—!

From the floor around her, from the walls, from what seemed like midair.... Spears appeared to impale Mikan!

It wasn't an execution, not for a killer.

There was no build-up, no fanfare, no chance to prove her glory.

Just regret mixed with blood in her last moments.

"E-everyone..." she choked out, through the blood in her throat, "please... forgive... M.......io........da............"

And then, Mikan stopped moving.

With the tears running down her face, she seemed every bit the image of a remorseful sinner.

That was when Ibuki began to scream.

She screamed until her throat went dry, and kept going. She screamed until her throat went hoarse, and kept going. She screamed until she tasted blood, and then... her voice died.

* * *

Miu was quiet around Tsumugi that day. Himiko, despite being there to supervise, had fallen asleep by accident.

"...hey."

"Yeah?" Tsumugi replied, looking up from her sewing. "What's wrong? Not going to complain or talk about machines today?"

Miu sighed.

"No, it's just... there's this fucking wedding," Miu said. "Kaede and Kokichi's. Soon, actually. We're having rehearsals, so... I was thinking that it'd really suck to get married while this whole simulation killing game is happening, you know?"

She looked to Tsumugi with conflicted eyes.

"Don't tell them this, but... I want them to have a good wedding. Without any stress or anything."

Tsumugi could feel the love for her friends emanating from her gaze...

"Hey, can you help? Can I trust you to help?"

........

.....

...


	41. Chapter 41

"Hey," Kaede whispered in the darkened room, her fingers twisting Kokichi's hair. "We're having a real wedding, huh?"

"Mhm," Kokichi replied, holding her tightly. "Why? So excited you can't sleep?"

"I... can't believe this," Kaede admitted. "I, well, before, I didn't think anyone would want to be my friend, let alone marry me, but then there was the Tragedy and then too much danger to think but you _somehow_ happened anyways..."

"So, you need help believing it?" Kokichi asked, smirking.

Kaede let out a giggle, before her laughter died down.

"Kokichi?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you think we're rushing into this?" Kaede asked softly. "That suspension bridge effect, and, well, we're so young..."

"Who knows?" Kokichi answered. "I never would have considered having this sort of future with anyone before... so I'm sort of just following your lead."

His fingers traced a pattern on her back as he asked, "so, what do you want to do?"

"I know I want to stay with you," Kaede stated. "I want to keep talking to you and laughing with you and I want you to trust me. I want to be the only one who can touch you like this. I don't want to not have you here, and I want to keep waking up beside you..."

She trailed off...

"Are you scared?" Kokichi asked, resting his head in the crook of her neck. Her heart was racing...

"Yeah," Kaede confessed. "I know what I want. But, will we keep feeling like this? Even when all the danger and excitement is gone, can we stay together?"

"Hey, Kaede. Do you trust me?"

"Without question," Kaede answered instantly.

"Then trust me," Kokichi said. He brushed her bangs aside to kiss her scarred forehead before speaking again. "We'll figure it out. We always do."

Kaede let out a hum, her lips quirking up slightly.

"You weren't scared of going up against a horde of murder bear robots with thirteen other people, a few motorcycles, a van, and some hacking guns," Kokichi reminded her. "Or of bullshitting a despair to his face when his allies surrounded you. You're brave and selfless to a fault. What scares you about us?"

Kaede mumbled something quietly.

"Kaede?"

"...I... want it to work out," Kaede said. "I don't want it to _not_ work out, so..."

"Eh? You're telling me that you're more scared of us not working out than possibly dying?" Kokichi replied.

"Well, I wasn't thinking too hard about that," Kaede answered flippantly. "I care about our future, though, so I've been thinking, and, well... it all comes back to the same doubts."

"You're worried I might get tired of you?" Kokichi asked.

"Yeah... sorry. It's stupid."

"You are, but I love you anyways," Kokichi said in the most innocent tone possible. "I mean, I don't get it. You're kind and nice and selfless and trusting and charismatic and sweet and beautiful and caring. No matter how you look at it, I'm the lucky one. How could I be the one leaving you, when you're obviously so much better than me?"

"Don't say that!" Kaede exclaimed instantly. "You're incredible! You care deeply, you listen, you protect others, you're clever and cunning and cute and charismatic and cool, you're always helping out, and, well, I _want_ to be with you!"

Kokichi let out a laugh, and Kaede realized she fell for a trap.

"Then, you think it's different for me? That I would be doing this if I didn't want to be with you?" Kokichi asked smugly. "You can't even make me tell the truth to someone I don't like."

He smiled at her, adding in, "plus, you think I could ever go back to sleeping alone after experiencing the best human pillow ever?"

Kaede just laughed in response, calling him ridiculous in-between bursts of laughter.

"We'll figure it out," Kokichi promised again. "Today, tomorrow, and every day after that."

"...okay," Kaede answered, smiling.

"Any other doubts you want me to blast away with my charming smile?" Kokichi asked, making Kaede laugh.

"No, but I'll hear you out, okay?" Kaede said. "Please let me know if you're worried about anything."

Kokichi hesitated, before speaking up.

"So... kids?"

"What about them?" Kaede asked.

"Do you want any?" 

"It's not like I'm opposed to having a family with you," Kaede admitted. "But, it's not the best time, right? I mean, the world's still broken... I don't want to have a kid when we can't guarantee things like safety or schooling..."

"Yeah, I thought so," Kokichi admitted. 

"Do you not want any?" Kaede asked.

"That's the problem," Kokichi answered, before starting to fumble with his words.. "I just... I want some, okay?! I want to get matching mugs and scream that you're mine and do all sorts of stupid, romantic things with you, but I don't even know the first thing about being a dad! I never had a good one, so—!"

He ran out of steam, trailing off with an upset expression.

"I don't think you have much to worry about," Kaede answered. "I've seen how you are with the kids. They _adore_ you."

"But..."

"And besides," Kaede continued, "you're not alone. Every step of the way, I'll be with you."

"Yeah, I know," Kokichi said in return. "You're always gonna be here."

"Mhm," Kaede said, nodding. She let out a yawn... "You still worried?"

"Nope," Kokichi answered truthfully. "Get to sleep. I'm getting tired."

"Okay."

There was a brief moment of silence, before Kaede spoke up.

"Kokichi?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you."

Kokichi smiled, sleepily answering as her heartbeat dragged him off to sleep.

"Get some rest, Kaede. I'll be right with you."

This was the sort of lovesick mood they were in the night before their first practice wedding session.

At the actual event itself, Kaede got so distracted by the grand piano delivered for the event that Ruruka just let her take a break and start playing. Kokichi was laughing as he sat next to her on the bench, making jokes to see which ones could break her focus and make her start cackling.

That was when Shuuichi burst in in a panic.

"So, um, there's a bit of a situation!" the detective declared.

"What?!" Kaede whipped her head towards Shuuichi, her song cutting itself off in an instant. "What's happening, and what can we do?!"

"Is anyone we care about in serious danger or can we skip?" Kokichi asked. "Like, the group, kids, our old intern buddies, Andou-chan and her friends?"

"_Kokichi,_" Kaede said in a scolding tone.

"Look, all I'm saying is, the Future Foundation can figure out its own problems sometimes!"

"Um, well, Miu-san... got kidnapped by Shirogane," Shuuichi said awkwardly.

"...eh."

"How... _how_...?" Kaede asked.

"I don't know?" Shuuichi replied. "I just know that she locked herself in the simulation room with Miu-san and threatens to kill her if anyone steps inside."

"...no, wait, her cell is... there's _twelve floors_ between her room and the simulation room," Kaede noted. "How did she even... why did she choose that room of all the rooms...?"

"Dammit, let's just go!" Kokichi snapped. "I'll kick Shirogane _and_ Miu's asses for this!"

Shuuichi was kind of regretting having told them now, but also figured it was the best option since they were the group's leaders.

* * *

"We can't get the cameras working!" Ryoma reported into his communicator. 

"If we can pick the lock, then maybe..." Kirumi muttered to herself.

"Don't worry, Miu! Kaito screamed at the door. "We'll definitely save you!"

"Miu, you dumbass! Just beat her up!" Maki added.

Inside the room, Miu was anxious.

She cleared her throat, preparing her response...

"Sorry, but Iruma-san's out of it right now," Miu answered, one of her inventions mimicking Tsumugi's voice. She even had a Tsumugi disguise ready in case they managed to catch sight of her. "But, if you come in, she'll be out of it forever..."

Her eyes anxiously went to the computer where Tsumugi was working.

_'Hurry up, Shirogane...!'_


	42. Chapter 42

Ibuki was quiet. Deathly quiet.

It wasn't entirely clear to the others whether or not she was silent from a broken will or a dead throat. 

But something in her eyes had died. Something in the way she carried herself, the bounce in her step, the energy in her posture, all of it had died... 

Even when Nekomaru was revealed to be alive, she didn't react. Even when Hajime, Akane, and Nekomaru held an assault against Monokuma, and got them all locked into a Funhouse as punishment, she didn't react. Even when she was told that someone needed to die for them to escape and eat, she didn't even twitch...

Free time started, and Ibuki couldn't pretend she didn't see the worried eyes on her. But she couldn't force herself to smile...

Nekomaru tried to get her to work out with him, saying that she had to learn to protect herself. There was no longer someone who could protect her. 

But, Ibuki walked away without a word. She didn't want to...

Teruteru tried to offer her food once they escaped. Ibuki tried to wordlessly convince him to save his effort for the others, but he insisted on her being alive to eat it. She didn't respond.

Gundham offered to let her pet the Four Dark Devas of Destruction, tried to help her with her evil name, but she couldn't put any energy into it.

Akane told her to keep fighting, because giving up on life would be turning back on what Mikan, what Kazuichi, what Mahiru, what _Hiyoko_ had been fighting for. Ibuki couldn't even cry at those words.

Hajime promised her that he would make sure they all escaped, because he had enough of standing by idly as people died. He would stay by her side as she stayed by his.

Fuyuhiko and Peko told her that everything was Monokuma's fault. Monokuma was the only one who could be blamed, so she had to live and get revenge on the mastermind. For everyone who had died.

Then, Chiaki stepped in.

"Mioda-san. Come with me," she said, reaching out to Ibuki.

Ibuki looked at her hand carefully, seeing how the sleeve covered most of the other girl's palm...

It could have been a trap. It could have been a murder attempt. It could have been anything.

So Ibuki went.

Chiaki tugged on Ibuki's hand, leading her to a door in the grape-covered walls. Ibuki hadn't noticed it before, but she hadn't tried very hard in exploring.

When Chiaki opened the door, Ibuki's expression changed for the first time since the trial.

Somehow, the door led straight to the interior of the music venue.

Chiaki yanked her past the threshold, the door closing behind them as they entered the music venue.

Ibuki looked back where they entered, only to find a solid wall behind her. Then, Chiaki pulled her attention back forwards, towards the lights, towards the curtains, towards the _stage_...!

"Mioda-san. The things that happened here, Saionji-san's death, Tsumiki-san's execution, do you know why they happened?"

Ibuki was shaking.

"Oh right. You can't talk, I think. Well," Chiaki said with a smile, ascending to the stage. "It's because of the traitor, right? And there's only one person with the power to escape an inescapable prison in this place, right?"

Ibuki stared at Chiaki in horror, almost able to make out the scent of blood as Chiaki took her spot at centerstage. 

"Hey, Mioda-san. The traitor that caused Tsumiki-san's and Saionji-san's and everyone else's deaths... Who do you think that traitor is?" the shining star of the death-and-life play asked with a smile.

The words came out in a slow, deathly quiet whisper, strained and pained in so many different ways.

"....Ch....i...ak...i...chan....?"


	43. Chapter 43

"Hey, your expression... it's saying _'I don't understand,'_ right? I think it is, at least," Chiaki said, puffing her cheeks out as she looked upwards. "Well, it's not like I can understand. I just cheated and read your thoughts."

Ibuki's breathing was pained...

"Mioda-san, is this enough to make you despair?" Chiaki asked bluntly. 

...!

"...d...es...pa...ir...?"

"Yep," Chiaki confirmed, nodding with a smile. "I've been waiting for this moment, you know? This moment where you would despair."

"I... don't... un...der...st...and..." Ibuki forced the words through her throat. "You... all this... for... des...pair...?"

"I don't enjoy it or anything, I think," Chiaki told her. "Usanami-san might have _tried_ to affect me, but I'm much, _much_ stronger than her, so she shouldn't be able to manipulate my coding. But she did manipulate my code."

Ibuki... had no idea what was happening...!

"I'll tell you outright, then," Chiaki stated. "My mission is, and always has been, to protect everyone. That's why people keep dying."

Hey...! This didn't... this didn't make any sense!

"With the information I've gathered from outside sources, I have no choice but to conclude that the outside world is a threat," Chiaki said, still peacefully smiling. "Even if you think it's insane, or inhuman, this is the conclusion I've reached."

"I'm a machine, after all. I can't divert my course on my own or even stop carrying out orders..."

"Stop it!" Ibuki screamed, clawing at her ears. She didn't-- she didn't want to hear this! She didn't want to keep going on, knowing that her friend had caused all this pain and destruction... all for some bullshit reasoning she couldn't understand!

"Is that so?" Chiaki asked. "Then, would you like to forget?"

Ibuki froze.

"Would you like to turn back time? To go back to when Tsumiki-san, Saionji-san, _everyone_ was alive and happy?" Chiaki asked.

Ibuki's head had gone blank at those words, the only sound she was aware of being her own heartbeat.

"If you do, all you have to do is **remember**. All you have to do to reset it all is **despair**."

Chiaki knelt down on the stage, cupping Ibuki's face in her hands.

"Why not despair? They'd be back then. The situation can't get much worse, can it?"

Ibuki's entire body went limp at those words.

She began to hyperventilate, screams tearing out of her damaged throat, her hands moving to claw at her face, her ears, until her nails were stained with blood--! _**Ibuki**_\--!

The entire world went white.

In the seconds before the simulation reset, Chiaki smiled.

"Over and over and over and over again," Chiaki muttered to herself, "so we can spend eternity in this world where I can **protect** you all forever..."

* * *

**???: **Wake up...

**Mioda Ibuki: **Mmm...?

**???: **Hey, are you gonna keep sleeping forever?! Come on! Wake up already!

**Mioda Ibuki: **Gwahhh!

**Ibuki jumps from the loud noise, falling over on the grass. Her companion laughs at her mishap.**

**Saionji Hiyoko: **Ha, serves you right for falling asleep here!

**Mioda Ibuki: **Hiyo-chan!? What are you doing here?!

**Saionji Hiyoko: **Uh, _hello?_ Are you stupid? I'm part of the student council. AKA the people the entire class is helping with the school festival.

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(Eh...? Looking at my memories...)_

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(That's right... we were helping with the school festival. But... it feels so long ago for some reason...)_

**Saionji Hiyoko: **Now come on! A small, delicate girl like me needs extra hands in carrying things!

**Mioda Ibuki: **Huh...? But, you're taller than I am...

**Saionji Hiyoko: **...!

**Saionji Hiyoko: **Well, that... _might_ be true, but I still don't have the complete gorilla arms you do. So, won't you help a poor, unfortunate, delicate girl?

**Mioda Ibuki: **Hehehe, if you wanted Ibuki to help, you should have just said so!

**Ibuki and Hiyoko run off.**

**Watching from the window is...**

**Ouma Kokichi: **So, it's happening again, huh? Just when we thought we caught a break...

**Akamatsu Kaede: **Ouma-kun? Are you slacking off again?! Hey!

**Kokichi laughs and teases Kaede, but...! **

**Ouma Kokichi: ** _(There's nothing we can do. These loops are beyond our control...)_

* * *

**Yukizome Chisa: **...

**Yukizome Chisa: **...

**Yukizome Chisa: **...?

**Usami: **Class dismissed!

* * *

**Komaeda Nagito: **Mioda-san, are you really going to spend time with trash like me? You shouldn't lower yourself to my level!

**Mioda Ibuki: **Huh? I thought we were equally trashy.

**Komaeda Nagito: **...odd.

**Komaeda Nagito: **Well, even amongst trash, there have to be tiers and hierarchies, right?

* * *

**Mioda Ibuki: **...why... does my heart hurt so much....?

**Tsumiki Mikan: **Are you alright, Mioda-san? Would you like some painkillers?

**Mikan offers a bottle to Ibuki.**

**Mioda Ibuki: **!

**Mioda Ibuki: **Put that away! Right now! Get it away from everyone!

**Tsumiki Mikan: **?! Mioda-san?!

**Ibuki slaps the medicine out of Mikan's hand.**

**The bottle falls to the floor as the class stares in shock.**

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **Hey! She was just trying to help, asshole! Knock it off!

**Mioda Ibuki: **...! I, I'm sorry! I don't know what came over me!

**Tsumiki Mikan: **I-I'm sorry....!

**Ibuki runs to rest in the infirmary, far from the class...**

**Saionji Hiyoko: **Hey! Wait! Don't just run away!

**Hiyoko runs after Ibuki, coming to a stop in the hallway...**

**???: **So, this is the one who remembered and tipped the scales towards a repeat.

**A stranger is holding Ibuki's unconscious body.**

**Saionji Hiyoko: **You...! What did you do to her?!

**???: **Oh, me? Nothing at all. 

**Saionji Hiyoko: **Who the fuck are you?! Let go of her!

**???: **Hmhmhmmm~ you're so impatient, really. 

**The stranger sighs.**

**???: **It's been so long since I played this role that it's honestly kind of embarrassing to take it up again. I thought I could be happy in an eternally looping world, just like this one, as long as I held the crown of godhood... but really, it's ironic, isn't it? 

**???: **Instead of playing the role of a cruel, sadistic god, I'm more of your saving grace from any more suffering.

**Shirogane Tsumugi smiles as she waves her hand, making the entire school disappear into a black void. **

**The darkness stretches out infinitely, lines of code floating and moving through the space indefinitely.**

**Shirogane Tsumugi: **Hmhmhmm~! She's blocking me off! Looks like there's no other choice!

**Trial stands appear from shadows, Class 77-B manifesting in beams of light...**

**Chiaki looks absolutely furious as she appears at the stand opposite Tsumugi's.**

**Suspended in the space above the trial stands, frozen in time, is Mioda Ibuki's body.**

**Shirogane Tsumugi: **Let's begin! The final class trial that decides everything...!

**Shirogane Tsumugi: **It starts now!

* * *

"Come on, Shirogane," Miu murmured, looking down at the new girl in the glass pod, looking just as she had before. "I believe in you, so you gotta be the kickass gal I _know_ you can be...!"


	44. Chapter 44

**Hinata Hajime: **What the hell is happening...!? Where are we?!

**Saionji Hiyoko: **Mioda! What the fuck did you do to her!?

**Shirogane Tsumugi: **Ah... I'm tired of giving exposition speeches... can't someone help me out?

**Shirogane Tsumugi: **Oh! I know!

**Tsumugi waves her hand, and...!**

**Yukizome Chisa: **Welcome, class. 

**Sonia Nevermind: **Yukizome-sensei! What's happening?!

**Nanami Chiaki: **You...! Why are you doing this?! Why are you betraying—??

**Yukizome Chisa: **Now, now, please calm down. This is just another sort of classroom, you know? I'm just doing my job as a teacher.

**Yukizome Chisa: **And, as your teacher, it's my job to guide you through the school year and help you make the choices that will shape your future... this is just one of these choices you'll have to make. 

**Yukizome Chisa: **The truth is that you... you have all made... you have all been manipulated and twisted, before. Because of that, you've chosen to make terrible, terrible decisions.... that's why, this school life was supposed to help you recover. It was supposed to help you make _better_ choices. But, something went awfully wrong... when Nanami-san decided that you all needed to **repeat the year**, eternally... all to keep you safe...

**Nanami Chiaki: **...

**Yukizome Chisa: **In your trial stand, you'll find two options, **'graduate'** and **'repeat'**. Repeat is choosing to start over again, while, graduate...

**Nanami Chiaki: **No.

**Yukizome Chisa: **Eh?

**Nanami Chiaki: **I won't let you graduate! **I am still an administrator of this world!**

**Yukizome Chisa: **...!

**Shirogane Tsumugi: **...if it comes down to a vote between teachers, then, the chances that Usami will side with Nanami...

**Usami: **Of course I will side with Chiaki-chan! Because Master **still hasn't recovered his memories**!

**Koizumi Mahiru: **Hold on! It's too much, isn't it?! I don't understand what's happening!

**Shirogane Tsumugi: **This is too much of a pain...! Just **remember**, then!

**Tsumugi makes a screen appear out of thin air, her fingers swiping across the surface swiftly.**

**In an instant...!**

**Souda Kazuichi: **Wha... what the hell...!? Why... do I remember something like **this**?!

**Owari Akane: **We... went through what?!

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **Who the fuck are you?! How can you do this?!

**Komaeda Nagito: **Ah...! Ahahahaha**_ahahahaha_**!

**Nanami Chiaki: **If... if they remember, then it should reset, right?! Then, you—

**Shirogane Tsumugi: **Nope.

**Shirogane Tsumugi: **The only person who can make this world loop over and over again... is me. 

**Nanami Chiaki: **?!

**Shirogane Tsumugi: **What? I've been here for years. There's no one who knows the ins and outs of this system more than me! There's no one better suited to **delaying the reset** until it doesn't matter anymore!

**Shirogane Tsumugi: **Now! Your only choice... is to press both options at once! It will let you escape this twisted world, and end everything that's been corrupted by Kamukura's virus... 

**Yukizome Chisa: **...! But, then... Nanami-san will die as well...!

**Shirogane Tsumugi: **Who cares!? She made you kill each other, so you could **repeat** the game endlessly... she won't let you **graduate** without a fight...! What other choice do you have?!

**Hinata Hajime: **....

**Shirogane Tsumugi: **This is your perfect solution! This is your happy ending! So just **make the right choice**!

**Nanami Chiaki: **Enough!

**Chiaki...! **

**Chiaki summons a screen, using a controller to—**

**Nanami Chiaki: **I won't let you be hurt. I won't let you die in the harsh outside world. I won't let you **run away**.

**The AI counterparts to the despair capture group appear!**

**Akamatsu Kaede: **...

**Ouma Kokichi: **...

**Yumeno Himiko: **...

**Hanamura Teruteru: **Huh...? Senpai...?

**Toujou Kirumi: **...

**Like puppets on strings, they silently move... **

**...and lunge for the trial stands, aiming for the RESET button!**

**Nidai Nekomaru: **! Not on my watch!

**Nekomaru and Akane face off against Gonta and Tenko, managing to hit the GRADUATE button before the other two!**

**Maki and Peko clash against each other, sword against knife...! But, Maki stabs Peko's hand into the RESET option...!**

**Gundham fights with Kaito, Nagito allows Shuuichi to pass by him, Miu uses her robot arms to hit Kazuichi's voting podium, Kiibo goes against Hajime, Hiyoko struggles with Kokichi, Mikan hides from Angie's assault, the imposter is incapable of stopping Ryoma, Korekiyo rushes before Sonia can stop him, Himiko paralyzes Mahiru with her magic, Fuyuhiko tackles Rantarou, Kirumi runs past Teruteru...**

**And, through it all, Kaede watches...**

**It goes around and around, the struggle ending cleanly with seven votes for GRADUATE and seven votes for RESET...**

**Saihara Shuuichi: **...

**Nanami Chiaki: **Come on. Let's finish this. Vote in Mioda-san's place!

**Akamatsu Kaede: **...

**Like zombies... the group moves towards Ibuki's podium...! But...!**

**Kaede throws herself in front of the voting mechanism, protecting it...! She's buying everyone some time to act!**

**Saionji Hiyoko: **No...! This can't end like this!

**Saionji Hiyoko: **I won't let it end like this!

**Using the trial stand as her starting point, Hiyoko jumped towards Ibuki's podium, dancing her way around grabs and strikes... and stabbing her fan into Ibuki's voting mechanism!**

**The trial stand glitches and disappears... along with the AI members of the despair capture group!**

**Shirogane Tsumugi: **Ah... so, this would be a complete stalemate, wouldn't it? Since **administrators can't vote**...

**Nanami Chiaki: **...

**Nanami Chiaki: **...then, let's stay in this stalemate forever. 

**Nanami Chiaki: **Instead of repeating it over and over again... we can stay here. Until the end of time...! 

**Yukizome Chisa: **Nanami-san—!

**Nanami Chiaki: **Shut up!

**Yukizome Chisa: **Please listen! 

**Nanami Chiaki: **I...! I don't care! I don't _care_ if this is the option that makes everyone hates me...! I don't care if I'll be killed for this! All I want...! All I want is to make sure that all my friends _never_ get into the world that will kill them for being despairs...!

**???: **We'll... die?

**Tsumiki Mikan: **What are we s-supposed to do...? Is... is it better to...?

**Hinata Hajime: **........

.......................

...............

.........

......

...

.

* * *

Ibuki woke up with a foggy head, darkness all around, and pained faces surrounding her.

Her head... her heart... 

All of her **remembered**.

She remembered her isolation. Her friends falling into despair. Falling into despair herself. A classroom. An island. Deaths. Mourning. Desperation. Loneliness. Apathy. Despair.

But, she also remembered happiness.

She also remembered love.

She remembered how, in the seconds before it all reset... she wanted her friends to go back to smiling and having fun together.

Not in some perfect, idealized world...! Not in some simulation where all their pain, their happiness, their lives had no consequences, no meaning...! Not when they had so much **guilt** to carry, so much to **atone** for...!

"More than anything...! More than anything... I want us to be able to fix this world we've broken!"

That was when Ibuki began to sing.

Now, normally, Ibuki would have scoffed at the idea of the power of music saving the day. It seemed too... idealistic. Too contrived to work. Too unrealistic.

But, the virtual world... wasn't governed by the same idea of reality as any other world. In fact, it had its own rules entirely.

Such as the fact that a **visualization** would be created to represent a patient's thoughts inside their world... 

Because it was a virtual world, that visualization had to exist somewhere in the game's files, some sort of created environment. But, since it was a broken world, there was nowhere else for the Logic Dive to manifest... but the empty void they were in.

Blasting through the trial stands, a prismatic tunnel surrounded by stars appeared! 

Tsumugi, Yukizome, and Usami were left behind as the tunnel split off...!

Everyone's doubts, everyone's fears, everyone's insecurities were perfectly envisioned...! Sonia's shadowy demons, Mahiru's judging eyes, Nagito's declining life expectancy dates, Kazuichi's waiting bullies, Hiyoko's clumsy steps, Mikan's eyeless shadows, Gundham's whispering monsters, the imposter's mocking masks, Teruteru's sobbing family, Peko's enemy samurais, Fuyuhiko's aiming snipers, Nekomaru's erratic heartbeat, Akane's shadows in the alleyways, Hajime's encroaching darkness...!

** _ Ibuki would blast her way through them all!_**


	45. Chapter 45

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter took several days entirely bc of the cg

* * *

_LOGIC DIVE_

* * *

**Mioda Ibuki: **...okay. Okay, I have no idea what I'm doing, or how I'll do it, but...! Let's go!

**Ibuki sings, sending bullet-like music notes through the closest wall! She breaks into the first student's doubts...!**

* * *

**Saionji Hiyoko: **I'm **scared**...!

**Saionji Hiyoko: **What do I do...? Who do I **believe** in...? 

**Saionji Hiyoko: **Help me! Father! Someone! Please, just **help **me!

**Mioda Ibuki: **You called, and now I'm here to **help**!

**Saionji Hiyoko: **...Mioda...!? 

**Mioda Ibuki: **Hiyoko-chan. I know this is probably the worst time ever to ask this, but...!

**Mioda Ibuki: **Do you **believe** in me? Will you trust me, even though you're **scared**?

**Saionji Hiyoko: **...

**Saionji Hiyoko: **Hmph. Well, you owe me anyways! I died to protect you, so...! 

**Saionji Hiyoko: **I guess it's fine to risk my life for you again!

**Mioda Ibuki: **Hiyoko-chan...! Thank you!

**Saionji Hiyoko: **You're stupid, you're excitable, you're too trusting, naive, self-blaming, and all... 

**Saionji Hiyoko: **But I'll be with you.

**Hiyoko's steps become more steady!**

**She shoves her fan into Ibuki's hands...**

**Saionji Hiyoko: **No matter what!

**Landing a perfect flip, Hiyoko cracks the prismatic floor with her steps, the resulting gaps making a path forward!**

* * *

**Sonia Nevermind: **The **future**...

**Sonia Nevermind: **I am not worthy of being a leader... no, I... what I've **done**...

**Sonia Nevermind: **Isn't staying here the best **repentance** of all...? So I can suffer eternally... so I can never hurt anyone again...!

**Mioda Ibuki: **Hey! Are you a coward?! 

**Mioda Ibuki: **You're just hiding! Hiding from the **future** you're scared of, hiding from the people you've hurt...! You want to **repent**?!

**Mioda Ibuki: **All of us, we've all **done** horrible things, but...! I won't run away from my guilt anymore! Are you going to keep hiding in this simulation forever, or are you going to join me in getting out of here?!

**BREAK!**

* * *

**Sonia's shadowy demons became smiling citizens! **

**Sonia becomes a glowing leader, pointing her sceptre at Ibuki! A portal to the next Logic Dive appears!**

**Sonia Nevermind: **Mioda-san...! I know I... none of us deserve redemption, but... I still want to believe we can try! 

**Sonia Nevermind: **So go! Go and help the others **break free of their despair!**

* * *

**Koizumi Mahiru: **In here, everyone can **smile**... 

**Koizumi Mahiru: **Outside, we're criminals. Murderers. Terrorists. Out there, we could **die **as punishment for our crimes...!

**Koizumi Mahiru: Sato**... what would you want me to do?

**Mioda Ibuki: **In here, we'll **die** over and over again, our **smiles** will be erased from existence with every reset...!

**Mioda Ibuki: **Is that what you want?! A meaningless world, where you never get to wake up?!

**Mioda Ibuki: Sato**... she didn't die trying to protect you for you to hide away forever! She died, trying to make sure you could spread **happiness** around the world! Are you going to turn your back on her!?

**BREAK!**

* * *

**Judging eyes became Mahiru's photographs of smiling faces!**

**Koizumi Mahiru: **Every photo is a moment preserved in time forever. Real happiness, real sadness, they all are precious...!

**Koizumi Mahiru: **That's why... I can't stay in this world! Not when these photos won't mean anything! Not when Sato wanted me to be better than this!

**Mahiru's photos fly together in a whirlwind, becoming a passageway to the next person!**

**Koizumi Mahiru: **I know you can bring back their smiles! 

* * *

**Komaeda Nagito: **...

**Komaeda Nagito: **Right now, I'm only **alive** thanks to this simulation... is this bad luck, or is this the **hope** Nanami-san has created...?

**Komaeda Nagito: **If we leave, will I even live long enough to see true hope...? How **despair**-inducing...

**Mioda Ibuki: **Nagito-chan... I don't know anything about your **hope**. I don't understand it at all. 

**Mioda Ibuki: **But, as long as you're **alive**... I'll stay with you! So please, take my hand! So we can both help the world recover from the **despair** we created!

**BREAK!**

* * *

**Nagito's life expectancy dates became a white void.**

**Komaeda Nagito: **As ridiculous as it sounds... even trash like me can be afraid. Not of death, but of dying before my life can amount to anything... before it leads to hope emerging...!

**Komaeda Nagito: **But... the fact that you'll be there means that we've already hit a milestone!

**Nagito lifts his prosthetic hand, smashing it into the bright white around them! It shatters into pieces, letting Ibuki access the next area!**

**Komaeda Nagito: **I want to see you succeed and prosper, Mioda-san! I want to see you save everyone!

* * *

**Souda Kazuichi: **Every time I try... someone just **takes advantage of me**...!

**Souda Kazuichi: **I've tried to **do good**! I've tried to help people! I've tried before, and always wound up with a knife in the back in the end!

**Souda Kazuichi: **I **give up**! The world can go screw itself!

**Mioda Ibuki: **I know what it's like to want to **give up**...! I know what it's like to be hurt so badly, you don't want to care anymore...!

**Mioda Ibuki: **But, even if you say that, you always wanted to **do good**, right?! You care so much it hurts, you care so much you want to stop caring...! Even if you're **taken advantage of**, even if you're hurt, you won't stop caring...!

**Mioda Ibuki: **That feeling of caring, it's what makes you human! It what makes you you! Please, don't just abandon your heart! Please, come with us, and help fix the world we've broken!

**BREAK!**

* * *

**Kazuichi's waiting bullies became friends, robots, and adults, all smiling at him for his achievements!**

******Souda Kazuichi: **As cool as I want to act... I'm just a coward in the end, aren't I?

**Souda Kazuichi: **What scares me most isn't dying or anything... it's coming face-to-face with everything I've done...! 

**A strange machine assembles itself, creating another way forward!**

**Souda Kazuichi: **But, even so...! I'll put my faith in you, and the future you want to create!

* * *

**Tsumiki Mikan: **I... **what do we do**...? I-I'm scared...

**Tsumiki Mikan: **Enoshima... I k-know I was used... but, being **loved**...

**Tsumiki Mikan: **E-even if we got out of here... w-what if I just fall i-into despair **again**...?

**Mioda Ibuki: **Mikan-chan, you can do **whatever your heart tells you to**!

**Mioda Ibuki: **Because, no matter what, there are people who **love you**! There are people who want you to stay with them! And I'm one of them!

**Mioda Ibuki: **I never want to fall into despair **again** either! That's why, I definitely won't let you make this choice alone!

**BREAK!**

* * *

**Mikan's eyeless shadows became medicine and needles, all tools to help people with!**

**Tsumiki Mikan: **Th-that's right... the reason I became a nurse... w-was because I wanted people to need me. I wanted people to rely on me. I-I wanted people to pay a-attention to me, I wanted to b-be stronger than someone...!

****Tsumiki Mikan:**** But n-now... people know me. A-And I made friends...! And they need me n-not to give up! 

**Tsumiki Mikan:** I... I'll do anything to be together with the friends I made, here and now! All I have to do is be strong!

**Mikan grabs a needle, stabbing it into her arm without hesitation! With a punch so strong it seemed rocket-boosted, she shatters a hole in the prismatic tunnel!**

**Tsumiki Mikan: **Mioda-san... I tried to get you killed, all because I didn't believe i-in you... but now, I'll place my trust in you. Please keep going...!

* * *

**???: **...in this world, I don't **need** an identity. I'm just another memberof the class.

**???: **But, if we leave... there's so many **variables** in place.

**???: **Won't I just **be forgotten** once I take off my masks?

**Mioda Ibuki: **Running away from the **unknown**... this isn't like you!

**Mioda Ibuki:** Aren't you the person who jumped to bury the dead and unite the group?! You didn't **need** an identity for that, did you?! Even without a name, you are an **unforgettable existence**!

**Mioda Ibuki: **So, even if you're scared... that's no excuse to run away from everything! Face down your fears, your guilt, your sadness, your despair, and make your choice!

**BREAK!**

* * *

**** **The imposter's masks become figures of everyone together!**

**???: **How could I have ever forgotten...? _"If you don't have a name, just make one for yourself..."_

**???: **Wasn't that what you said?

**The figures begin smashing their way through the tunnel, making a path forward!**

**???: **I'll be taking you up on those words, so in exchange for my aide, make sure you succeed!

* * *

**Pekoyama Peko: **I... was meant to be a **tool**... 

**Pekoyama Peko: **But, I was **used** and thrown away... 

**Pekoyama Peko: **What do I do...? Who do I **follow**...?

**Mioda Ibuki: ****Tool** to be **used**...?

**Mioda Ibuki: **Peko-chan, when has anyone ever said that?! Everyone thinks of you as a friend, as a super cool, super stoic samurai!

**Mioda Ibuki: **That's why, instead of just **following** along... you make your own choices! Choose whether or not you want to stay here forever or not!

**BREAK!**

* * *

**Peko's enemy samurais become fluffy animals...!**

**Pekoyama Peko: **Yes... that was what the Young Master... no, what _Fuyuhiko_ had always wanted... I was just too stubborn to listen.

**Pekoyama Peko: **I've always been treated as an equal here. That means... the only person who can make this decision is me!

**Peko stabs her sword through the floor!**

**Pekoyama Peko: **This is the future I've chosen! Not for anyone's sake but my own!

* * *

**Hanamura Teruteru: **Why... why would I want to leave? There's nothing in my **life** I could go back to...

**Hanamura Teruteru: **I've killed my own family, I've **destroyed **everything...

**Hanamura Teruteru: **This simulation is a perfect place... a safe place out of a **dream**...

**Mioda Ibuki: **Are you going to give up on **life** that easily?!

**Mioda Ibuki: **What happened to your **dreams**?! What happened to becoming a world-class chef with admirers aplenty!

**Mioda Ibuki: **Do you really want an endless, meaningless life where you can be built up and **destroyed** with no consequences?! Or will you take the risks and make something of your life!?

**BREAK!**

* * *

**Teruteru's sobbing family becomes smiling customers and roaring grills...!**

**Hanamura Teruteru: **I'm sure I disappointed my folks a million times over, doin' this... no, they'd probably hate the sight of my face after all I've done.

**Hanamura Teruteru: **That's why, I gotta fix things instead'a just running away! I won't stop, not until I'd be able to look them in the eye again...!

**A skewer stabs itself into the floor, breaking a passageway...!**

**Hanamura Teruteru: **I won't stay here! I gotta get out there and make a grave for 'em! It's the least I can do as a failure of a person!

* * *

**Tanaka Gundham: **What foolishness... cacophonic one!

**Mioda Ibuki: **Eh...!?

**Gundham's whispering monsters have already become winged animals!**

**Tanaka Gundham: **Did you really think that, even for a moment, Tanaka Gundham would roll over and give up on life?!

**Tanaka Gundham: **Never! As long as this accursed heart still beats, I will never give up on escaping!

**Tanaka Gundham:** I will never give up on the beasts I have taken under my wing! I will never give up on creating the perfect kingdom on earth for my hellhounds!

**With magic, the tunnel shatters into pieces around them!**

**Tanaka Gundham: **Now, go on, my underling! Subjugate the heavens and destroy the hells that await!

**Mioda Ibuki: **I have no idea what you are saying, but okay!

* * *

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **I couldn't **protect** anyone... not in here, or out there...

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **The **family** name's in shambles...

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **But, if it's here, can I keep spending time with—

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(...? I hear something breaking...)_

**Two girls burst in!**

**Pekoyama Peko: **Fuyuhiko!

**Tsumiki Mikan: **Kuzuryuu-san!

**Pekoyama Peko: **How dare you even consider giving up now?! Didn't you promise to lead the **family **to greatness!? Didn't you promise that to the Young Mistress!?

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **But... I'm not even strong enough to protect anyone...!

**Tsumiki Mikan: Protecting **someone... that's... that's a lonely thing to do... having to be strong for someone else and feeling like you can't share your fears... that's too unfair! 

**Tsumiki Mikan: **Instead of trying to take on the weight of protecting people by yourself, let us defend you and be defended in return! 

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(It's changing!)_

**Fuyuhiko's snipers become laughing Yakuza members raising their glasses in celebration!**

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **Heh, it'd be too lame of me to just give up without a fight. I won't disappoint either of you, got it?

**Tsumiki Mikan: **Ehehehe, okay!

**Pekoyama Peko: **I expected nothing less from you.

**Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko: **Let's get out of here!

**The Yakuza members assemble on Fuyuhiko's command, smashing through everything in their way!**

**BREAK!**

* * *

**Nidai Nekomaru: **...

**Mioda Ibuki: **Neko-chan! Are you coming with us?

**Nidai Nekomaru: **Either way, I won't be living long, right?

**Nidai Nekomaru: **Staying here might let me live on, but, everything I've worked hard for, it's all so I could live on and encourage my friends' dreams!

**Nidai Nekomaru: ** _ THERE'S NO WAY NIDAI NEKOMARU WILL LIVE AND DIE IN THIS KIND OF PLACE! _

**Mioda Ibuki: **Hell yeah!

**Nekomaru smashes through the ground with his bare fists, his heartbeat monitor hanging steady!**

**BREAK!**

* * *

**Owari Akane: **...I got **tricked**...

**Owari Akane: **I can't even have faith in myself... so how can I have faith in the outside world...? It's better to just turn off my thoughts and do whatever's **easiest**...

**Mioda Ibuki: ** _(Oh! I hear it again! Cracking!)_

**Nidai Nekomaru: **IS THAT REALLY WHAT YOU THINK?!

**Souda Kazuichi: **What the hell, Owari?! Giving up without a fight?! When you live for fighting?!

**Owari Akane: **Eh...?!

**Souda Kazuichi: **I don't know if I deserve this chance either... but we all got **tricked**! We all got manipulated and torn, but at least we're going to keep on fighting!

**Nidai Nekomaru: **Fighting isn't about what's **easy**! It's about the struggle, the heart-pouding excitement! You wouldn't love fighting if you just wanted things to be easy! It'll only be exciting if you decide to take on the strongest challenge there is!

**Owari Akane: **Ahahaha... ahahahahaha! You're right! This place can't contain me! I'm just waiting for the chance to to get out and face real danger and live! I won't be happy being cooped up in here forever!

**BREAK!**

* * *

**Ibuki makes her way to the last person, when...!**

**Nanami Chiaki: **What are you doing? Why are you _doing_ this? Why... why won't you just give up?

**Mioda Ibuki: **Chi-chan!

**Nanami Chiaki: **Aren't you scared? I can **protect **you forever! So please, just accept this! I don't want to do this either, but...!

**Chiaki summons shadowy clones of Ibuki...!**

**Mioda Ibuki: **Me...?

**???: **The outside world is full of **danger**...

**???: **This **guilt**...

**???: **I just want to **forget **everything...

**???: Stop it**...!

**???: **I'm **scared**...!

**???: **Damn you, **Enoshima**...!

**Mioda Ibuki: **...!

**Ibuki clenches her fist, only to find...**

**The fan Hiyoko gave her!**

**Ibuki hears Hiyoko's voice.**

**Saionji Hiyoko: **I'm with you, remember? No matter what!

**Saionji Hiyoko: **So hurry your ass up! I'm waiting!

**Mioda Ibuki: **Ehehe... ahahahaha!

**Nanami Chiaki: **What...?

**Mioda Ibuki: **Hell yeah I'm scared! I have no idea what I'm doing! I don't know if it's pointless, or if it will work out, or what!

**Mioda Ibuki: **But I wouldn't be able to look myself in the eye if I were to give up without even trying! 

**Ibuki snaps the fan shut, using it to break down the tunnel around her!**

**Nanami Chiaki: **Wait——!

* * *

**Kamukura Izuru: **...

**Mioda Ibuki: **Huh...? Nothing...?

**Kamukura Izuru: **There's no point in anything anymore.

**Kamukura Izuru: **I can't recover my memories, the only friend I had is dead, and the outside world... is **boring**.

**Mioda Ibuki: **...

**Kamukura Izuru: **What? You can't even muster a response?

**Mioda Ibuki: **The fact that you're here is proof that you're lying.

**Kamukura Izuru: **...?

**Mioda Ibuki: **Kamukura Izuru was always trying to judge whether hope or despair was more **interesting**...

**Mioda Ibuki: **There's no one who could force you here against your will. That means, you thought there was something **interesting** in the simulation! Didn't you have hope that you could **recover your memories** in here!?

**Kamukura Izuru: **...

**Mioda Ibuki: **And I know now! I know that you have a different name, you had a friend, the way you acted with her, that you liked to skateboard, that you **hate** being idle! That's the **Hinata Hajime **I know!

**Mioda Ibuki: **But, the rest of him... everything else, that's up to you to figure out!

**Mioda Ibuki: **So?! What choice are you going to make?!

**Kamukuraa182@€]¥<??!€: **...

**Hinata Hajime: **...

**Hinata Hajime: **Let's go.

**Hajime points his finger like a gun, shooting a bullet through the tunnel!**

**Ibuki's eyes widen at the last challenge...!**

* * *

**Chiaki is surrounded by pixellated enemies...**

**Nanami Chiaki: **I can't **change** my course...

**Nanami Chiaki: **This is the only** answer**...

**Nanami Chiaki: **I just want to **protect** everyone...!

**Nanami Chiaki: **Please...! This is the only way we can stay **together**! 

**Nanami Chiaki: **I can't come with you! I can't protect you once you leave! **Because I'm a machine, after all! **

**Mioda Ibuki: **No.

**Nanami Chiaki: **...!

**Mioda Ibuki: **Chiaki-chan...! This isn't the **answer** we want! We want to leave!

**Mioda Ibuki: **We want to laugh and cry and have our feelings mean something... we won't be satisfied by being in this **unchanging** world forever...! We won't be happy, just being **protected** and coddled for the rest of our lives! 

**Nanami Chiaki: **...so... you're just... going to leave me...? And forget about me...?

**Mioda Ibuki: **Of course not!

**Mioda Ibuki: **Even if you dont exist beyond this screen, you are **real**! You are someone in all of our hearts! You are an idea that lives on in all of us! That's why, we won't just forget you! 

**Mioda Ibuki: **You'll be with us, **together**!

**Mioda Ibuki: **So let us escape without any regrets!

**The last tunnel shattered...!**

* * *

Ibuki woke up to the sound of clapping and party poppers.

She was sitting in a classroom, empty aside from her, Miss Yukizome, Chiaki, and Usami. The other three were facing her with smiles.

"The votes came in," Yukizome said simply. "It was a complete one-to-one vote, until they realized Nanami-san's podium hadn't voted yet. Thanks to you, everyone decided to make the final vote graduation."

Usami nodded as she placed the diploma in Ibuki's hand.

"My master had told me that there was no more need for the game," Usami stated. "Instead, he would pursue his memories in the outside world!"

"It's a weird, crazy kind of ending," Chiaki admitted, her expression a bit troubled. "But I have to wonder... why didn't you choose the forced shutdown? Didn't Shirogane-san say it was the perfect ending?"

"Well, all of our senpai, Yukizome-sensei, Usami-chan... they're our friends," Ibuki answered. "And they could have been hurt if the shutdown deleted those affected..."

Usami hung her head low, sad that her attempt to tell Chiaki about the outside world led to everything that had happened...

Chiaki smiled and nodded, before feeling Ibuki take her hand. Chiaki's eyes widened in surprise.

"And Chiaki-chan too," Ibuki declared, smiling brightly in Chiaki's wide-eyed gaze. "You will always be our friend."

Chiaki grinned.

"Congratulations on graduating," the gamer said softly. "I will always be watching over you."

* * *

"So this is the ending they've chosen..." Tsumugi muttered to herself, watching from the glitched void as Ibuki left the classroom. Hiyoko instantly scolded her for being late, and they all laughed together before being told how to leave...

"Oh well," she said with a smile. "This sort of thing is fine, right?"


	46. epilogue

"It worked...!" Miu gasped in awe, staring at the slowly-opening pods. "Shirogane, you did it...!"

And then Kokichi burst in through the vents, screaming, "hands up, asshole! Let the damn bitch go!" as he pointed a dart gun at her.

"Ah shit," Miu said, belatedly realizing that everyone still thought she was kidnapped. "Listen, this is... okay, so, I _know_ it looks bad, but..."

"Five words or less," Kokichi ordered.

Miu wordlessly pulled off her wig, making Kokichi pause in somewhat angry bafflement. 

"It's fine, simulation good now," Miu stated.

"...what the fuck."

"It's fine, everything is fine," Miu said, just as the first person crawled out of the pod.

"Miu, what the fuck did you _do_," Kokichi demanded, not sure where to point his dart gun anymore.

"We come in pieces!" Ibuki screamed in a panic.

"Peace! What you mean to say is peace!" Hiyoko retorted.

"Hm, this machine looks sci-fi as hell! Nice!" Kazuichi declared.

"MIU WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU DO," Kokichi demanded again, already grabbing his communicator.

"Wait, no, Kokichi wait—"

"Help, situation—" was all Kokichi got out before Kaede broke down the door.

"I'm giving all of you sixteen seconds to get your hands up or be subdued by force!" Kaede exclaimed, bringing everyone in with her. With dart guns.

The former despairs were very compliant. They had all learned that the despair capture group could kick their asses. Kirumi and Korekiyo began to bring out the handcuffs for all of them.

Kokichi had promptly decided to fuck off and not deal with any of that anymore, leaving Maki, Kaito, and Shuuichi to question what the fuck Miu was thinking.

"Miu, what the fuck were you thinking?" Maki asked flatly.

"Hey, it worked, didn't it?!" Miu exclaimed defensively.

"...what did you even _do_?" Shuuichi asked.

"Sent Shirogane in there to unfuck things up, that's what."

"You mean—?! She's in the pods?!" Kaito demanded. 

"Why would you do that," Shuuichi added.

"Are you stupid," Maki added.

Miu screamed at them in return until Kaede dragged her over to deal with waking Tsumugi up.

"Hey, superstar," Miu greeted the blue-haired girl, crossing her arms over the edge of the pod. "You feelin' alright?"

"...mmm... it's bright," Tsumugi said, looking up at Miu.

"Yeah, that's what happens when you're asleep for a long time," Miu said with a smile. "C'mon. Get up. You worked hard."

Tsumugi took in a deep breath, before exhaling slowly.

"Why did you trust me?" Tsumugi asked, not moving an inch. She was looking at Miu like she couldn't tear her eyes away. 

"Huh?"

"I went mad with power the last time I was around this simulation... why did you believe in me?" 

"I told you again and again, and you never fuckin' listen," Miu huffed. "You can be good. You can _do_ good, as long as someone gives you a chance. All I did was give you that chance."

Tsumugi was silent for a while, doing nothing but breathing and feeling the beating of her heart.

Just as Miu was about to break the silence, Tsumugi did it for her.

"Will you keep believing in me?" Tsumugi asked.

She moved to sit up, staring Miu in the eyes. Miu was stunned by the determination in Tsumugi's eyes.

_"Can_ you keep believing in me?" Tsumugi whispered.

"Yeah, of course!" Miu answered without a second thought.

"Promise?"

"I swear on my goddamn life!"

Tsumugi smiled.

"Then, can you seal it with a kiss?" Tsumugi asked.

Miu paused.

"...I'm sorry?"

"I'm afraid that I've fallen ill or some such thing..." Tsumugi said with a sigh, resting her cheek in one hand. "I mean, you're garishly-dressed, loud, brash, awkward, nerdy, lame, and so many other things..."

"What?! What??"

"But somehow, when I think of you, it's all hearts and rainbows. Isn't that strange?" 

Miu was too baffled to answer.

Somewhere in the back of the room, Kokichi was laughing.

"But, somehow, I think of you as cute," Tsumugi stated. "Human and flawed, not some idealized leader, hero, heroine, character... which makes it even weirder when I think about how you make me want to be a better person. I sincerely thought that my only safe haven was anime, or barring that, being part of SHSL Despair. How did you do this?"

"Do _what_?!" Miu demanded.

"Make me fall in love with you," Tsumugi said casually. "Why? Did you misunderstand or something?"

"I think it's damn hard _not to_ misunderstand after a speech as misleading as that!" Miu screamed.

"Ah, well, we can't have that, now can we?"

"No, seriously, what the fu—"

And that was when Tsumugi kissed Miu on the cheek.

"Be sure to keep your eyes on me," Tsumugi said with a smile. "You made me want to be greater than I ever thought I could be... so it's only fair that I become someone you can never forget, right?"

Miu's reaction was to explode. She was blushing and confused and screaming all at the same time. Hiyoko fell over laughing at the sight.

That was how the incident ended.

Not with any deceased, not with any corpses, but with laughter and explosions.

* * *

So, how did the story go after that?

For the group formerly known as SHSL Despair, their stories never really ended.

Penance wasn't a one-time deal. Even after awakening from the simulation fully rehabilitated, they had to prove themselves time and time again. From rigorous psychological check-ins to being bombarded by questions and anger from their numerous victims, it seemed that, as long as they were alive, they'd face hardship.

And they welcomed it.

The entire group discarded their names, their faces, even their identities in hopes of redeeming themselves. Some used their talents to undo the damage they had caused, some simply spent their lives quietly in a small communities, giving back by doing what good they could.

Sonia became an independent author, writing tales of fantasy and redemption in a cozy town. She wrote under a pseudonym, donating all the money she made to the restoration of the lives she had destroyed, with one island in particular receiving the bulk of the money. As she grew older, she became the well-loved grandmother of the town, showing kindness to all she met.

Mahiru used her skills to promote the Future Foundation's messages as a journalist, always being closely guarded to ensure she never used her talent for ill again. Her years were full of happy photos and hopeful pictures. It was said that her photos led to more and more people thinking that magic could possibly be real, causing many discredited magicians to regain their reputation...

Nagito guided Rantarou to his sisters' bodies, even digging their graves himself. Unfortunately, the physical exertion was too much for him and he was promptly hospitalized. Rantarou took it upon himself to visit the older man. When Nagito died, years later, Rantarou and all of the former members of SHSL Despair were there by his side.

Kazuichi did his part in reducing air pollution, working with the Future Foundation to create all sorts of devices for the sake of a better world. Eventually, space travel was once again possible. On the day the first rocket was launched into the cosmos, Kazuichi had reportedly escaped from his guards, though there were rumours of a strange, black-haired, shark-toothed man watching the rocket fly...

Mikan retired from nursing to become a teacher at a medical school. Her students were said to love her kind heart, though she was a married woman. After a few years of teaching, Mikan went about making homes so that families could stay close to their sick loved ones in the hospital. In each of these homes, black masks were the norm for the nurses, but no one learned why until after Mikan's death.

Fuyuhiko spent years searching for the remaining members of the Kuzuryuu family, asking each one what they wanted out of life. He spent his life helping each member achieve their goals. It was said that he helped open a bakery, hospital homes, get many financially-troubled families through their days, and much more. He remained a pacifist until the end, dying together with his wife of old age.

Peko spend a few years travelling to discover who she was as a person, away from Fuyuhiko. When she returned from her voyage, she immediately went about collecting materials and funds to help the people in need she had come across in her journey. Decades after her death, an anthropologist wrote a book on several cultures' shared legend of a red-eyed angel who taught that all lives were equal.

Akane became a bodyguard for a high-ranking member of the Future Foundation, eventually joining in on missions to spread smiles across the world. Despite Akane's crimes against her new charge, the two were similar in hot-headedness, love of fighting, and desire to protect their friends. As they worked together, a close relationship bloomed between them.

Nekomaru found work as a masseuse, using his capabilities to encourage people to face their own difficulties in life with all their fighting spirit. He was asked many times to help train sports teams and armies, but refused them all, feeling that he could never return to that profession again. Every now and then, though, he could be seen secretly teaching children's sports teams how to improve their technique.

Gundham convinced many people to support his insane ideas for an occult-themed holographic zoo. Though it was small at first, its popularity exploded after a few years, at which point Gundham started funding wildlife preserves and environmental reform programs. His zoo lived on longer than he did, never forgetting his motto of saving the world for the wolves.

Teruteru spent his years cooking for the hungry in unfortunate nations, causing many accidental diplomatic disputes in the process. He was said to be the bane of one high-ranking Future Foundation member's existence, not for his crimes, but for his profound inability to not flirt with various world leaders. One time, that member once left him tied up above a pit of sharks, saying she couldn't possibly save him.

The imposter stayed close friends with Tsumugi, receiving lessons from her on how to find their inner self worth. They came up with a new name and identity for themselves, one met with approval from their friends. They went on to become the mayor of a small town, though they were constantly monitored by the Future Foundation afterwards. Under their guidance, the town became a metropolis. 

Hajime spent his life quietly, occasionally popping up to help with whatever problem came up. After he broke away from his security guards to fix a crucial problem in a power plant fifty kilometres away, he was bribed into living at home. After he took the money and then broke into the Future Foundation to fix one of their chairs, everyone realized they couldn't stop him at all.

Chiaki remained an AI for the Future Foundation, doing her best alongside the AI versions of the despair capture group, Usanami, and her teacher. She was instrumental in gathering information on how to avoid falling into despair and other flaws in the various systems that allowed Junko to wreck havoc. She lived on to tell the stories of her friends and the heroes who saved the world from despair.

Ibuki and Hiyoko became a musical duo, performing with their identities under strict wraps. Their earnings went towards helping the world recover from despair, and while the two remained friends with the other members of the group, they were said to share an especially intimate bond for the rest of their days on the planet.

Thinking of the far-off future, old age, and death for these beloved characters was a bit sad, wasn't it?

But, they'll always remain the storybook heroes in our hearts.

And so, the story of hope and despair faded away, until it was known simply as a legend..."

* * *

"What do you think?" the girl asked the boy.

"It was a great story!" the boy replied with a smile. "But, but, what happened to the ones who did the capturing after that?! Didn't the story start with them? I'm happy to know that the despairs got to be reformed, but what about them?!"

If she could have patted the boy's head, she would have.

"Don't worry," Chiaki promised from behind a screen. "I'll be sure to tell you all in due time."

"But I wanna know about my grandparents!" he whined.

"Oh, but you have piano lessons with your grandma soon, don't you?" Chiaki replied. "You should get to that."

"Oh, right!" the boy exclaimed, having completely forgotten. "I'll be back tomorrow then!"

Chiaki smiled and waved him off.

She decided not to tell anyone that the kid had found his grandparents' Future Foundation video screen communicator.

No one had asked her, y'know? And she wasn't the type to divulge information without asking.

Because she was a machine, after all.


	47. Bonus: Who Decided This Was a Game Show?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> its only first names because i keep almost fucking myself over and writing ouma! WHO IS OUMA THERE ISNT AN OUMA ANYMORE  
also. just. JUST DONT ASK ME WHY THERES NO M/M COUPLES OKAY. IM CONFUSED TOO. I DONT GET IT. WHAT HAPPENED HERE. WHY AM I LIKE THIS.

**Shuuichi: **It's your... who wrote this script.

**Kotoko: **We worked hard on it!

**Masaru: **Read it! C'mon, Big Bro Shuuichi!

**Shuuichi: **...okay.

**Shuuichi: **It's your favourite ace agent super sleuth, Saihara Shuuichi, hosting the Super Total Awesome Couple Games Not-A-Death-Match-But-Just-As-Serious Game. With my incredible assistants, the Warriors of Hope.

**Jataro: **Hi.

**Monaka: **Hello!

**Nagisa: **There are six couples divided into three teams. 

**Kotoko: **First off, it's the **Officially Dating (lol)** team, Big Sis Miu and her girlfriend and the Akamatsu couple!

**Kotoko: **Gosh, having a married couple here? Wow, it feels like overkill! Steamroll 'em, guys!

**Kaede: **Thanks!

**Kokichi: **We will!

**Miu: **'scuse me, we're here too, you know?

**Tsumugi: **Do you even know my name?

**Monaka: **Anyways, next team, the **Won't Admit They're Dating** team!

**Rantarou: **Eh? What?

**Kirumi: **I thought this was a request...

**Fuyuhiko: **Dating?! What the hell--

**Miu: **No swearing around the kids!

**Mikan: **U-um, if you want another partner, it's fine... 

**Nagisa: **Stop that. 

**Jataro: **And then there's the last team... best for last? Are you sure about that? 

**Jataro: **Because the **One-sided Feelings and Idiot** team feels more disastrous than anything we've seen so far.

**Masaru: **Wow. You got burned by _Jataro_.

**Kaito: **What? But it doesn't make sense!

**Ibuki: **What's one-sided? Because our friendship isn't!

**Maki: **Good god, why.

**Hiyoko: ** _Save me...!_

**Shuuichi: **The rules are simple. 

**Shuuichi: **Each round, we'll ask each person to answer a question about their partner. Then, the answers will be shown up on a board, and you'll have to guess which answer belongs to _your_ partner about _you_. 

**Shuuichi: **If both guess right, you get a guaranteed pass to the next round! If both guess wrong, you're kicked out, and if one gets it right while the other guesses wrong... you have to play a minigame to decide whether or not you can advance!

**Shuuichi: **Any questions?

**Maki: **Can we leave.

**Shuuichi: **Any _other_ questions?

**Kokichi: **Don't worry! Everyone just wants to run before me and Kaede crush 'em~!

**Miu: **Aren't we on the same team?!

**Kotoko: **Yeah but when enough people start dropping, you get to betray each other--

**Monaka: **Spoilers!

**Shuuichi: **Well, let's start!

* * *

**Q: Cutest thing about your partner?**

* * *

**Kaede: **Done!

**Kokichi: **Me too!

**Shuuichi: **As expected from the only married couple among these guys! Their answer is instantaneous! 

**Shuuichi: **Will the others be able to keep up?

**Fuyuhiko: **Shut up, shithead! Don't expect me to go along with such a ridiculous question!

**Hiyoko: **Shut up, _shut up!_ This is stupid! Don't ask me this and expect me to be honest!

**Maki: **_Cute_? What about this guy is cute? His passion? His face? Don't make me laugh.

**Shuuichi: **Looks like these three are in denial...

**Kaito: **Cute? Are you serious? Makiroll's more badass and awesome than anything. 

**Kaito: **You seriously think there's any room in her left for cuteness?!

**Maki: **Gh—!

**Tsumugi: **S-she took mental damage!

**Ibuki: **I don't know anything about Hiyo-chan I can consider cute but her face and occasional softness, so can I just say face?

**Hiyoko: **Grgh—?!

**Mikan: **Oh no, oh no, Saionji-san took mental damage too!

**Miu: **Hot is a valid substitute, right?

**Shuuichi: **No. Don't deviate from the question. The kids are watching.

**Miu: **Got it.

**Rantarou: **It's kind of hard to think of something, just like this... you mind if I just say something simple?

**Kirumi: **Not at all. I'll be doing the same.

**Monaka: **Time's up!

**Shuuichi: **And your answers are...

**???: Everything. **

**???: Hums while cooking. **

**???: Short. **

**???: Good with kids. **

**???: When you smile. **

**???: Drew hearts over my face when I fell asleep on the couch once. **

**???: Pouting face? **

**???: A nerd. **

**???: Very nice person. **

**???: SHUT THE FUCK UP **

**???: Passionate. **

**???: You do your best. **

**Shuuichi: **Alright! Will you be able to guess which one out of these twelve is your partner—

**Kaede:** You're the only one brazen enough to say _'everything'_ in this embarrassing public display, Kokichi!

**Kokichi: **Don't scold me when you used something I actually did! That everyone else in the group can verify! They all saw you with the hearts on your face, Kaede!

**Shuuichi: **Oh _come on!_ I didn't even finish the question!

**Shuuichi: **Anyways... others?

**Fuyuhiko: **You... you didn't say _'short'_, did you?! Did you?!

**Mikan: **No! I didn't! Please! I said that you're a very nice person! Please don't get mad!

**Fuyuhiko: **...! You...!

**Shuuichi: **Hey! You can't just tell each other what the answer is! Jataro-kun, Kotoko-chan, escort them off the stage!

**Fuyuhiko and Mikan got disqualified...**

**Ibuki: **...it's either _'a nerd' _or _'shut the f*ck up'_...

**Ibuki: **I'll go with the second one, Tsumugi-chan's dating the girl who keeps reminding people not to swear around the kids. She wouldn't make that mistake.

**Hiyoko: **...stop that.

**Ibuki: **Am I wrong?

**Hiyoko: **Hey, if I answer that, will we get disqualified?!

**Shuuichi: **Yes.

**Hiyoko: **You were right and I hate it.

**Shuuichi: **...

**Ibuki: **Whaaaaaat?! But I wanted to win! Noooooo!

**Hiyoko: **Why are you like this?!

**Hiyoko and Ibuki got disqualified...**

**Kaito: **Hmmm...

**Maki: **...

**Kaito: **You like people who are good with kids, right? Then, that's gotta be it!

**Maki: **...it's probably... _'you do your best'_. Passion's the only trait you respect, after all.

**Kirumi: **Is it... the cooking one?

**Rantarou: **Ahaha, you saw right through me! It's simply the cutest thing when you're happy and cooking, you know?

**Kirumi: **I understand. It's the same for me when I see you taking care of the children as if they were your own...

**Rantarou: **Ahahaha!

**Kirumi: **Hehe.

**Shuuichi: **That's adorable and all, but you two are disqualified!

**Rantarou: **Ah, what a shame.

**Kirumi: **Saying that with such a smile on your face is unfitting, you know?

**Kirumi and Rantarou got disqualified...**

**Tsumugi: **If I didn't know _'a nerd' _was my entry, I would say that, since you're like that...

**Shuuichi: **...

**Miu: **Hey, you realize that you're saying this to my face, right? And that you just got us disqualified?

**Tsumugi: **Yes on both counts.

**Miu: **...why?

**Tsumugi: **I can't kiss you in front of an audience, now can I?

**Shuuichi: **Don't you dare say such a cool line when you just got disqualified!

**Shuuichi: **And Maki-san and Kaito-kun... got both the answers wrong, so... congratulations, Kaede-san, Kokichi-kun. You... win. I guess.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Everything. (kokichi)
> 
> Hums while cooking. (rantarou)
> 
> Short. (ibuki)
> 
> Good with kids. (kirumi)
> 
> When you smile. (fuyuhiko)
> 
> Drew hearts over my face when I fell asleep on the couch once. (kaede)
> 
> Pouting face? (kaito)
> 
> A nerd. (tsumugi)
> 
> Very nice person. (mikan)
> 
> SHUT THE FUCK UP (hiyoko)
> 
> Passionate. (maki)
> 
> You do your best. (miu)


	48. Bonus: Ouma's a yandere now because it's funny

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i wanted to put off writing this until i finished the fic but then i really wanted to and i realized that i can do whatever i want because i dont owe anyone shit  
each situation is isolated and not at all related. lol

**Situation: Due to mishaps, Kokichi has temporarily lost many of his memories**

Kokichi had been cautiously watching each of these _'friends' _of his, being ready to flee down several improvised escape routes the moment he noticed something was wrong. It wasn't the first time he had to break out of a hospital room, so he figured it was a simple matter.

He was ready to try and escape too, since all of them had left for a moment, something about letting the next visitor be alone with him. Too bad he was using the time before their entrance to escape!

Ironically, his plan to jump out a window went out the window when a beautiful blonde woman rushed into the room, hurrying to his side.

"Kokichi! I heard about the accident! Are you okay?!" she begged, leaning over him.

Kokichi's response was to stare with wide eyes. He took in her face, her hair, her clothes, her hairpins, and the sound of her voice, and instantly felt something snap into place.

"Marry me," he blurted out suddenly.

"I," she said eloquently. "What?"

"What, do I have to say it again~?" he asked with a pout, almost whining his next words, "fine. I asked you to marry me."

"Kokichi, I, you... are you serious," she asked flatly.

"Deadly!" Kokichi exclaimed. "It was love at first sight, and you shot through my heart, straight and true!"

"Did... did you hit your head or something?"

"What, no! I swear upon my heart and soul that it's not a lie!" Kokichi declared, taking her hand off the bed to hold it in his own.

And that was when he felt something that made his heart stop. 

There was already a ring on her left ring finger.

"Ah... I see, the problem is that you're already married..."

"No, seriously, are you joking right now. Are you seriously joking."

"How cruel... These feelings, they're the real deal and that's the truth." As he pouted, an idea suddenly came to him.

A devilish smile came to his face, and he asked, "hey, if something were to happen to your spouse... would you consider taking me as your second one?"

"Kokichi," she said flatly. "We're already married."

"Eh."

"This ring is checker-patterned!" she exclaimed exasperatedly. "Who _else_ would I be married to?!"

"You're really married to me!?" Kokichi demanded excitedly.

"Why else would there be a ring on my finger?!" 

"Hey, hey, this better not be a lie! If it's a lie, I'll punish you harshly!"

"Check your hand, idiot! Why else would you have a ring with music notes on it!?"

"Dumbasses," Kaito said from the doorway as Kokichi loudly gasped over his ring.

* * *

**Situation: Hiyoko tells the others Kokichi became a member of SHSL Despair in exchange for Kaede's life (from last time!)**

"Heheheh... have fun! Little Kokichi over here has fallen into despair! Now, he'll kill you all for her sake!" Hiyoko declared.

"Oh no, he was like this before," Rantarou clarified.

"Huh?" Hiyoko replied.

"Ahhh, right, Angie knows. Because he would hiss every time someone touched Kaede, right?"

"He pranked Gonta for catching Kaede-san from a slip..."

"One time, he got so mad I offered Kaede one of my snacks that he tricked her into letting him feed her ice cream right in front of me," Himiko recalled.

"He really should look into a job in the infiltration division," Korekiyo said. "He is _very_ good at sneaking around and watching you talk to Kaede-san."

"Right?!" Rantarou replied. "He almost gave me a heart attack when I saw him in the vents! I totally understand how Shuuichi-kun's terrified of him!"

"Um, guys," Kiibo said awkwardly from the sky.

"Wow. _Wow_," Kokichi replied, as he shot Hiyoko in the back with a sleeping dart.

"It's the truth!" five different people said in reply.

* * *

**Situation: Interacting with their AI counterparts**

_"Eh...!? How is my real life counterpart more reckless than I am?!" _AI Kaede demanded, stunned after a recap of their adventures.

_"Wow...! The Akamatsu-chan over there sounds incredible! Hey, me, if you don't watch out, I'll steal her away from you!" _AI Kokichi exclaimed.

"If you try it, I'll break you!" Kokichi roared, hugging Kaede tightly.

"Kokichi. Kokichi _please_."

Shuuichi let out a sigh that his AI counterpart echoed.

_"I can't believe this..." _AI Shuuichi said softly.

"Kokichi-kun...is probably the first person in the history of the world to get jealous because of an AI..."

"Actually, he's the second," Makoto said simply.

"What?!" the two detectives demanded in unison. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN, **_SECOND?!"_**

* * *

**Situation: Everyone expected him to be more tsundere**

"I don't get it," Miu said. "What do you mean you don't get off on degrading people. Why else would you talk like that to me."

"If I got off on it, why would I waste my breath on you and not my wife," Kokichi replied flatly. "I insult you to mess with you."

"Okay, fair, but does this mean that you _don't_ insult her?" Miu asked.

"Tenko thought you'd be more the type to push away someone you loved. You know, like Ryoma-san."

Ryoma had absolutely no reaction to that, as he had no possible defence.

"I must admit, I'm also stunned by how sincere you are with Kaede-san..." Kirumi said.

"I'm frankly offended you people think I could insult her," Kokichi stated, going on in the most serious tone possible. "If I did something to make her hate me, I would die."

"Stop that," Ryoma replied instantly.

* * *

**Situation: Maki is also a funny yandere now**

"To serve and protect the ones we love the most!" Maki and Kokichi swore, preparing their weapons.

Maki hid a knife and a crossbow and a gun and a tranquilizer gun and ammo and a baton on her just in case someone did anything to Kaito.

Kokichi had a pie, glue, a whoopie cushion, a spray gun, a handshake buzzer, and a pair of clown shoes, because Kaede had a very high degree of admiration for Makoto and that had to change.

He got accused of schoolyard bullying. Maki swore to never let his sacrifices be in vain.

* * *

**Situation: Makoto is a dumbass and keeps accidentally setting off a yandere**

"So, what did you do to deserve this?" Kyouko asked, watching as Makoto wiped pie splatter off of his walls. He couldn't reach the actual pie itself, because it was stuck to the ceiling at an _incredibly_ odd angle.

"That's the thing!" he exclaimed. "I _don't know_! I've been trying to figure out what I've done to make Akamatsu-kun so mad, but he won't talk to me!"

"Have you tried any other methods of investigation?"

"Yeah, of course. I figured his wife would know, so I tried to get her in my office, but I couldn't get him to not come along too. So I invited her to dinner to discuss it with her privately," he said. "I also gave her apology flowers and asked her to tell him that it was from me."

Kyouko stared at him for a good long moment.

Finally, she spoke up.

"Naegi. You are an idiot."

The pie fell down and splatted against Makoto's head.


	49. Bonus: M(A)ch(I)ne (V)ersion (3)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is a chapter about the AI v3 kids, because im a dumbass who gave myself emotions over characters that dont even exist in canon.

Shinguuji Korekiyo

_These memories are fake. Not even the real Korekiyo knows this woman. It's a mixture between my sister and the despair that corrupted me..._

_So why...?! Even though I know, why can't I stop killing in her name?! Why can't I put the weapons down to spare these people that I've come to care for?!_

* * *

Iruma Miu

_I want to help the world. I want to make sure that people can be protected from accidents, I want to help make the world more productive, I want to save lives, and, and, and...!_

_But what can a program do...? My inventions won't save anyone. No one will thank me. What good can I do for the world beyond this screen?_

* * *

Kiibo

_Everyone here feels insignificant, a copy of a real person in a fake world..._

_Then, what am I? As a copy of a robot...?_

* * *

Toujou Kirumi

_The people I served... no, the people she served... how can I possibly help them? _ _Time and time again, I try to kill and escape for their sake, but, then in death, I remember..._

_...that I could never reach them in the first place._

* * *

Momota Kaito

_How many times has it been now? Forty, no, over fifty? How many times have I watched the people I took under my wing die...?_

_I'm sorry. I'm no hero at all._

* * *

Angie Yonaga

_We play the role of pawns in the game you've made so you can play god. You realize that the only one who can claim that title is Atua, right?_

_...hey, is Atua kind enough to smile down on even a fabricated human like this Angie Yonaga?_

* * *

Gokuhara Gonta

_How many times has Gonta failed to protect his friends...?! _

_Gonta is sorry...!_

* * *

Chabashira Tenko

_I swore to protect you. I've sworn to protect everyone... _

_...but how am I supposed to do that when the world just resets to make us all suffer again?_

* * *

Hoshi Ryoma

_I'm not the man who killed the mafia, but I'm not the man who lost his loved ones, either... I'm nothing but a murderer's shadow._

_That's why, spare them all. If anyone should suffer, it should be me..._

* * *

Yumeno Himiko

_It's pointless to kill, because we always come back. It's pointless to escape, because it always resets. It's pointless to live, because we always suffer. It's pointless to die, because we always come back._

_It's pointless. It's pointless...! I want it to end! I want it all to end! Just let me rest forever!_

* * *

Amami Rantarou

_These memories... they're not my sisters. They're his sisters. Even if I found a way to escape, I could never reach them..._

_Ahaha, it's a shame I never remember this when we're alive._

* * *

Harukawa Maki

_This is almost ridiculous._

_Even though I'm not the one who lived out these memories of assassinations, I'm almost as bloodstained..._

* * *

Saihara Shuuichi

_We keep dying and being brought back, forgetting and remembering...! Just for your amusement...! _ _Do our lives and suffering mean nothing to you?!_

_...do our lives mean... nothing?_

* * *

Shirogane Tsumugi

_Sorry, I was just born. The real Tsumugi was here for much, much longer, and I couldn't exist until she stepped out... _ _Hm? You hate me anyways?_

_That's fine. I know she hates herself too._

* * *

Ouma Kokichi

_I don't understand. You won't even look at me. Do you hate me? What will it take for you to look at me? _

_I don't need you to remember our past or anything. I just need you. I need you to be with me... Please?_

_Hey, if we always come back, it's okay, right? It's not killing. All I want is to make sure you're by my side. It's okay if I force you to look my way, right?_

* * *

Akamatsu Kaede

_Don't look at me so expectantly. I'm not the girl you remember getting along with or anything. I don't remember anything!_

_I don't remember dying or reviving like any of you! I don't remember the games, or our deaths, or our friendships...! _

_So stop it! Stop looking at me like that! You can't expect a glitched avatar like me to be the person you remember!_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so anyways, they got jobs as helpful AIs in the future foundation and get to live in a normal world after the end of the plot


	50. bonus: ibuki felt SO BAD FOR THEM

"You... you're dating...!?" Ibuki demanded in shock, staring at Kaede and Kokichi with wide eyes.

"Married," Kokichi corrected smugly.

Ibuki burst into tears, stunning the two.

"I'm so _happy_ for you two...! You two, because... you had so much _trouble_...!"

* * *

"We're childhood friends," AI Kaede had told Ibuki in the simulation, "but he's so eccentric! I mean, I love him and all, but what am I supposed to do when he insists he's been cursed to kiss me every single day?"

* * *

"I'm pretty sure he only ran for student council president to show off. He looked so stunned when I got mad about it, but what else was I supposed to do when he showed up out of nowhere and stole all the votes? Be impressed or something?"

* * *

"We've lived in the same house ever since his parents disappeared. He's still so childish, though. He _still_ can't go to sleep in his own bed when there's the slightest trace of thunder..."

* * *

"I don't get it. If you're so scared of horror movies, why insist on watching them all the time? I swear, if I didn't know any better, I'd think it was just a ploy to cuddle me."

* * *

"My lunch? Oh, I didn't make it. Ouma-kun did. He insists on being weird and saying it's housewife training or whatever, but at least I get food. Want some? Oh, but don't tell him. He'll whine about me sharing his heartfelt cooking with other people for _days_ if he knew."

* * *

"Why we use family names, despite being childhood friends?" Kaede repeated as she popped in an earbud. "Well, we _used_ to use first names, but then we got teased for being like a married couple. I swore I wouldn't marry him unless he became a famous musician to dispel those rumours, and we've been using family names ever since."

Ibuki didn't know how to answer to that so she just asked what Kaede was listening to. 

"Oh, this? It's a song by a new artist I like," Kaede answered. "I don't normally listen to idols, but this guy adds in lots of fancy piano in his songs, so..."

"...what's the name?" 

"Well, this album is called _'Piano Freak',_ but his name as a performer is _'Chessmaster'_..."

Ibuki googled it.

...she was pretty sure the image was just Kokichi in a skirt with his hair done up.

_'I've always loved the blooming maple as a child...' _the artist sang, and Ibuki, having a level of experience with autotune that Kaede didn't have, instantly recognized the voice...

Kaede looked on in confusion as Ibuki screamed.

* * *

"I'm _so happy for you_...!" Ibuki repeated, wiping her tears with the back of her hand.

As Kaede offered her a handkerchief, Kokichi's reaction was to scream Tsumugi's last name in a loud declaration of fury and confusion.


	51. Bonus: The Oumatsu/Hiyobuki Theatre!

**Akamatsu Kokichi: **So, uh, is there anything we actually need to cover? 

**Akamatsu Kaede: **Huh?

**Mioda Ibuki: **Ibuki's been wondering that as well! Since there's no **unused art**, and the other unused scenes are just **vague ideas for the free time events...!**

**Saionji Hiyoko: **Eh... what's with this laziness? 

**Akamatsu Kaede: **Well, Saionji-san was gonna team up with Mioda-san for the last bit and get the items together when they cleared those Logic Dives but it felt too forced, you know?

**Akamatsu Kokichi: **That, and the author doesn't even like Saionji-chan.

**Saionji Hiyoko: **Eh.

**Akamatsu Kokichi: **Basically, the author doesn't even like Saionji-chan.

**Saionji Hiyoko: **You don't need to say it twice! I heard it the first time! I just want to know why!

**Akamatsu Kaede: **Well, um, you're very mean in canon... and the author likes Tsumiki-san, so... you're only really liked when you're being a good foil and partner to Mioda-san...

**Saionji Hiyoko: **..............

**Mioda Ibuki: **Eh, but at least the author _played Hiyoko-chan's game_? I mean, you know. That's important.

**Akamatsu Kaede: **...there's a long story about that...

**Akamatsu Kokichi: **On the day before the game came out, after several weeks of close run-ins with fake spoilers and trying not to read real spoilers, one of the author's friends told them **that Kaede died immediately into the game**.

**Mioda Ibuki: **And that killed all enthusiasm for the game...?

**Akamatsu Kaede: **Mhm, they refused to touch it for several years, and they didn't know much about it, until they just up and made this fic series.

**Saionji Hiyoko: **...but... but _why?_

**Saionji Hiyoko: **I mean, does the author even like you?

**Akamatsu Kaede: **Me, yes. Kokichi? ...not so much.

**Akamatsu Kokichi: **_Game_ Kokichi.

**Akamatsu Kaede: **No, even you are thought to be a demon who can only be kept at bay with a ritual and offerings of words...

**Mioda Ibuki: **Okay, now I'm _really_ curious! Why would you make an entire series about this ship from a game you haven't played and don't know much about when you only really like one of the people in it?

**Akamatsu Kokichi: **Spite.

**Akamatsu Kaede: **...yep. It was spite. A person was talking about not shipping rarepairs near the author, and the author thought it was strange, because they shipped Oumeno because _'Ouma-kun helps Yumeno-san through her problems, showing a level of concern he doesn't show to anyone else,' _but their reaction to the _long_ list of reasons that you and Saionji-san could be a couple and good together and supported by canon was a simple _'but it didn't happen, did it?' _

**Akamatsu Kokichi: **And when questioned about that reason, because that me _did_ try and help some other people, the person said that _'he's so confusing that nothing can be called canon about him!'_

**Mioda Ibuki: **Nice impression.

**Akamatsu Kokichi: **Thanks.

**Akamatsu Kaede: **I mean, I have nothing against Himiko-chan, and the author doesn't hate Oumeno, but that sort of reasoning is a little bit weird.

**Saionji Hiyoko: **So, the fic series...?

**Akamatsu Kokichi: **Pretty much got off the idea stage the morning after that incident. The first chapter was posted less than a week from that day.

**Mioda Ibuki: **We've come so far, all out of spite. 

**Akamatsu Kokichi: **Yup. 

**Akamatsu Kaede: **Well, it's the end, so let's just celebrate how far we've come, alright? 

**Saionji Hiyoko: **Sure, I guess.

**Mioda Ibuki: **Ahahahaha! Yeah! Let's have a party and invite everyone!

**Ibuki and Hiyoko run off to grab the others...**

**Akamatsu Kaede: **We really have come so far...

**Akamatsu Kokichi: **Yeah... I'm happy right now. I didn't actually think I could be.

**Akamatsu Kaede: **Come on, Kokichi! We gotta thank everyone! All of the readers who cheered us on this far! All of the readers we're saying goodbye to!

**Akamatsu Kokichi: **Alright, alright, I'm coming! 

**Akamatsu Kaede: **From the bottom of my heart... thank you! For reading this strange series, for supporting us this much... and thank you for reading until the end!

**Akamatsu Kokichi: **Oh, you forgot someone.

**Akamatsu Kaede: **Eh? I did?

**Akamatsu Kokichi: **Yep.

**Kokichi pulls Kaede down by the tie to kiss her.**

**Akamatsu Kokichi: **I forgot to thank you for falling in love with me.

**Akamatsu Kaede: **Kokichi, you...!

**Akamatsu Kokichi: **Ahahahaha! Anyways, we're almost done! Just one last **epilogue** left! But it's not like you can't just reread or anything! 

**Akamatsu Kokichi: **Anyways, we'll see you around!


	52. (v) epilogue

"Hey, do you still think we rushed into this?" Kokichi asked as he tied Kaede's tie for her again, just as he had the day before, and the day before that...

"Well, I sure hope not, given that we're about to hit our tenth anniversary," Kaede retorted.

Kokichi smiled. 

"Have fun at work, babe."

"You too, Kokichi," Kaede said, leaning down a bit to kiss his forehead.

With that, they went their separate ways.

Kaede was off to her high school counselling job, having found a talent for encouraging bullied and isolated students to make friends. She used her own experiences to relate to the students much better.

Kokichi worked as a daycare teacher with Maki. It doubled as an orphanage, actually, housing younger orphans along with the teenage victims of the Tragedy.

Ten years seemed so long and so short at the same time.

It was a short amount of time for Kaito to get to go to space and Miu to invent all those products. But it was a long time of Gonta being a professor of entomology, of Rantarou travelling the world with Kirumi to help recovery efforts...

Well, not like they missed their friends. They hadn't drifted apart enough for that yet.

They were always hearing about Kiibo, Himiko, and Tenko, so, even without their invitations to entertainment events, they knew what the three were up to. Kiibo and Tenko were a pair of idols, spreading smiles around the world. Himiko was an entertainer in her own right as a famous mage, though she often collaborated with them to spice up their concerts.

Angie was a little less outrageous as the three, though she was also fairly high profile. Especially after her latest statue, a toppled Enoshima that got screams of approval...

Rantarou and Kirumi sent many, many letters to the entire group, and though Kokichi complained about how often they wrote, his lips would twitch into a smile whenever he read up on whatever adventure they got themselves into.

Kaito was in space, though he video-called as often as he was allowed. It was a group event to just all gather together for his calls.

Shuuichi, Korekiyo, and Gonta worked as professors at a nearby college, so Kaede and Kokichi often visited and heard about what their old students were up to there. 

Ryoma had decided to hang up his racket and became a simple pet store clerk. He was popular amongst the kids in their town, and Kaede often visited for the sake of petting the cats.

Maki, well, Kokichi saw her five days a week. They were definitely still friends, no matter what either of them said about it.

Miu lived in the heart of the city, just a short train ride away from their town. Sometimes, she visited just to hide from people demanding more inventions. She lived with Tsumugi, who had the same position as Kaede for a different school. They often met up and exchanged notes on how to help the students they worked with.

Monaka, Jataro, Nagisa, Masaru, and Kotoko had graduated from Kaede's high school a few years ago, and were studying at college under Gonta, Korekiyo, and Shuuichi's guidance. Kaede and Kokichi were often told of their adventures.

Komaru was often expected to be the same sort of charismatic leader as her brother and the rest of the Killing Game survivors, but she had a humble job as a simple manga author. Yuuta often ran by her place with Toko so they could talk about the stories the two came up with.

Speaking of Toko...

"Okay," Toko said into the phone as Kaede walked home. "So, I've written up to the present moment of the book, so, I'm considering... Ouma dies from a burglary attempt while you're pregnant, making you angry and bitter. You can't bring yourself to love your daughter while your heart is still so empty... you use and control men to mask the bleeding of your heart! And, while the daughter is angry from your treatment, she discovers music..."

"No," Kaede said outright. "That's _not how biographies work_."

"Well, I need _some_ way of entertaining myself."

"I think you're just being mean," Kaede huffed.

"Do you have any _other_ ideas, Miss Happily-Married?"

"Hmm, yeah, I do," Kaede answered. 

She smiled as she walked back to her door, fully expecting Kokichi to pop out in an apron or some other ridiculous surprise for her.

"How about _'and then they lived happily ever after'_?"


	53. V3




End file.
